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Debra, just
seven years old,
was a very smart
and active girl.
She watched and
noticed
everything.
One day, she
went with her
parents to visit
her grandparents
who lived in a
nearby town.
The arrival was
a joy to Debra,
who was very
fond of Grandma
Cathy and
Grandpa Joe.
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The grandmother
came to greet
them joyfully,
and the girl
soon asked:
- Grandma, where
is Grandpa Joe?
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The grandmother
explained that
Grandpa was
resting. He had
not felt fine
the day before
and went to the
doctor, who
recommended rest
and asked for
some tests.
Worried,
Gilbert, Debra's
father, went
immediately to
his parent's
bedroom. He
greeted his dad,
gave him a hug,
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asked: |
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- What happened,
Dad? You seem
pretty down!
The old man
replied
laughing:
- That's
nothing, my son.
Nonsense!
- Nonsense, my
father? You need
to take better
care of your
health!
- I'm fine, my
son. But let me
give the world's
most beautiful
granddaughter a
hug! - he added,
seeing the girl
who had entered
behind her
father.
He hugged Debra,
then told her:
- There is a
surprise for you
in the closet.
Just ask
Grandma.
- Thank you,
Grandpa.
And Debra, as
she was leaving
the room,
curious to see
the present,
heard her father
say, quite
seriously:
- Daddy, you
need to stop
drinking.
Surely, they do
you no good!
Alcohol messes
up the blood
pressure and can
provoke a more
serious problem.
Who knows if the
episode that you
had yesterday is
not a
consequence of
it?
Debra heard
frightened what
her father had
said and was
very worried.
They spent the
rest of the day
at her
grandparents'
house and, at
dusk, they went
home happy after
those enjoyable
hours. Her
grandfather Joe
was much better
and grandmother
Cathy calmer.
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A few days
later, trying to
find some
documents,
Gilbert had
already searched
the whole house
without any
result. Then, he
decided to look
in the most
unlikely of
places: the
closet in the
room where he
kept a few
bottles of
wine.
When he opened
the closet he
was very
surprised: it
was completely
empty!
Gilbert thought
that was
strange. Who
would have taken
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away all
the
bottles? |
Immediately, he
went to the
kitchen where
his wife was
preparing lunch
and asked her:
- Vera, did you
empty the closet
of the wine
room?
- No, absolutely
not!
- Was it the
maid?
- No, dear, she
would not do it
without an
order.
- So who was
it?
At this time,
Debra came home
from school and
entered the
kitchen, hearing
the conversation
between her
parents. A
little afraid,
she confessed:
- I did it,
Dad.
Gilbert came
close to her
daughter very
angry and put
his hands on his
waist:
- Why did you do
it, girl?
The girl said
trembling:
- Daddy, do not
get mad at me! I
was worried
about you!
- Worried about
me? Oh my! But
why?
The girl
explained that
hearing the
conversation
between her
father and
grandfather, she
thought her
father could
also get sick
because of
drinking and
decided to throw
the bottles
away. Then she
concluded:
- So Daddy, just
as you were
concerned about
Grandpa Joe, I
too, was worried
about you, who
are my father. I
do not want you
to get sick
either!
- And you threw
them all away?
- Yes, I did!
...
And she added,
showing great
coherence for a
girl her age:
- But only
after opening
and emptying the
bottles because
I did not want
someone else
picking them up
from the garbage
and also getting
sick.
Admiring his
daughter's
logic, Gilbert
sighed,
remembering the
expensive wines
that were lost.
However, he
could recognize
the courage and
determination of
Debra who made a
decision,
believing that
it would be the
best, even
though there
could be
consequences.
Gilbert sat
down, put his
daughter on his
lap, hugged her
and said moved:
- Thank you, my
daughter, for
showing me this
truth. You're
right. Alcoholic
beverages are
not good for
anyone.
- So you're not
angry with me,
Dad?
- No, little
one.
The girl took a
deep breath and
exclaimed:
- Good! After I
threw the
bottles away, I
was afraid, so I
asked Jesus to
help me and
protect me! ...
Meimei
(Message
received by
Celia X. de
Camargo on
07/03/2011.)
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