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Rushing towards
school, Orlando
met a group of
classmates he
was having
trouble with.
With no apparent
reason, since
some tine, Pedro
started hating
him and ill
treated him
wherever he went
to.
So, as he saw
the group was
approaching,
Orlando got
worried.
He had his
reasons.
Going past him,
Pedro threw
Orlando’s school
bag on the
floor, trying to
provoke, and
then went away
giggling.
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Orlando, though,
didn’t react.
Peacefully, bent
down, got his
bag, and kept
walking as if
nothing had
happened.
At school, while
the teacher
wrote on the
blackboard,
Pedro went to
Orlando’s desk
and put all his
school material
down.
As she heard the
noise, the
teacher turned
around. Pedro,
in his place
already, muffled
his laughter,
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followed by
all the
other
students. |
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— What happened,
Orlando? — she
asked as she saw
all his books
lain on the
floor.
Picking up his
books, the boy
apologized:
— Never mind,
teacher. I just
dropped them.
And that
happened every
day. Pedro
always found new
ways to bug his
classmate: at
the soccer game,
at school or on
the street.
Orlando never
reacted, and
this made Pedro
angrier.
One day, Orlando
was riding a
bike when he saw
Pedro and his
group coming on
the other way.
He tried to
deviate, but
without success.
He was face to
face with them
again.
Orlando got off
the bike, while
the boys
surrounded him.
Pedro got closer
with a menacing
look.
— This is your
end, loser!
As he said that,
he raised his
fists, ready to
punch. Orlando
kept staring at
him.
— Come on,
coward! Fight!
But Orlando
remained silent,
even though
there were tears
in his eyes.
The boys
laughed,
supporting Pedro
who, tired of
waiting, started
attacking.
Meanwhile, a man
who was passing
by saw what was
happening and
came up to help
Orlando. The
group, scared,
went off
running, but
they heard the
man asking:
— Do you know
those boys? Do
you want to
follow them?
Wiping his
tears, the
little Orlando
answered:
— No. Never
mind. They
didn’t mean to.
Leave them
alone, sir.
A bit surprised,
the man
respected
Orlando’s will.
And, after
making sure
everything was
all right, went
away, advising
him to take
care.
On the following
day, Orlando
went on an
errand and saw
Pedro coming
down the street.
He was for sure
doing shopping
for his mom,
because he had a
grocery bag with
him.
Suddenly,
absent-minded,
Pedro didn’t see
a hole in the
asphalt. He fell
from his bike,
hitting his head
on the floor. He
started
bleeding.
Feeling a lot of
pain, Pedro
cried.
Orlando came up
to him,
attentive:
— Are you OK? Do
you want to go
to the hospital?
You’re hurt and
in need of help.
Surprised to see
him, Pedro
answered:
— Never mind.
I’m fine.
— Thank God!
Do you want me
to help you get
home? — asked
Orlando, picking
up tomatoes and
carrots that
were all over
the floor.
Pedro was
confused. He
couldn’t
understand why
Orlando was so
kind to him. The
boy’s attitude
set him
thinking.
Then, he said:
— Orlando, you
should hate me.
I treat you so
badly and never
miss the
opportunity to
challenge,
humiliate and
diminish you in
front of our
classmates. Why
are you helping
me?!...
— Because I
learned to
return goodness
for evil — said
the boy.
Astonished by
his answer,
Pedro said:
— Now I see why
you never
reacted to my
challenges. But
who taught you
those things?
—Jesus.
The teacher of
Christian Moral,
at the Spiritist
Center that I
attend, talked
about this the
other day. Jesus
said “whosoever
shall smite thee
on thy right
cheek, turn to
him the other
also”. And, more
than that, we
should love, not
only our
friends, but
also our foes.
That’s it.
Silent, Pedro
heard Orlando’s
explanation.
In fact, he
realized he had
never talked to
him, and never
thought about
it. Now,
listening to
him, he realized
that Orlando was
different from
his friends,
more aware and
responsible,
despite his
young age.
Pedro felt, at
that time, that
grudge had
disappeared in
his heart.
— Thank you! —
he just said,
leaving.
On Sunday, as he
got to the
Center, Orlando
had a nice
surprise.
There he met
Pedro, smiling,
though a bit
shy, ready to
attend the
evangelization
class as well.
Aunt Célia
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