|
Peter is a good
boy and has just
turned five, but
he has one major
flaw: laziness.
|
Peter is too
lazy to bathe,
get changed,
brush his teeth
and especially
to put on his
shoes. Each day
is a struggle to
get him ready
for school. And
he complained to
his mom:
- Why do I have
to wear an
uniform? Why do
I have to wear
shoes? Why do I
have to brush my
teeth? Why? ...
Why? …
And the mother
explained, with
great affection:
|
 |
|
- My son, we all
have to do these
same things our
entire lives,
and they are
learned from
childhood.
Mommy, daddy,
your brothers,
your classmates,
everyone. Thus,
we create
healthy living
habits that
accompany us
throughout life. |
But Peter,
retorted:
- But I do not
like doing the
same things
every day, mom!
The mother, with
patience, held
the child in her
arms and said:
- Peter, hygiene
habits are
necessary to not
to get sick.
Think! What if
you do not
bathe, do not
change clothes,
do not brush
your teeth? What
will happen?
- I'll get
dirty, right?
- Exactly. And
before long, you
will smell so
bad that nobody
will want to
come near you.
Got it?
- I got it, mom.
You're right. I
do not want to
be called a pig.
The mom laughed
and agreed:
- That's right,
Peter! But do
you know that
not even the
pigs like filth?
They live in the
mud because for
a long time, it
was thought that
they liked the
dirt. Then it
was discovered
that in fact,
they roll in the
mud trying to
wash up, stay
clean. So today,
there are pigs
that are treated
well and live in
very clean
places! But
enough talk for
now, son. We
have to hurry or
you will be late
for school.
Peter went to
school, but the
conversation he
had with his
mother would not
leave his head.
Later, at
bedtime, while
he put on his
pajamas, he said
to himself:
- Mom was right,
to take a
shower, put on
clean clothes,
brush teeth,
everything is
important. But
wearing shoes?
There should be
an easier way
where we did not
need tying the
shoe laces!
The truth is
that Peter was
too lazy to tie
and untie the
laces. So, at
that instant, he
thought:
- What if I put
glue in the
shoes? There
will be no need
to worry about
it then! That's
a good idea! ...
|
So thinking
about it, the
boy fell asleep.
He woke up the
next day and
without anyone
seeing him,
sought the tube
of glue that his
mother kept well
hidden in a
closet, and
spread the glue
inside his
shoes. He was
happy! He had
solved his
problem!
|
 |
Soon, Peter
realized that he
could not pull
them off of his
feet. He tried
to remove his
feet from the
socks but he
could not.
Everything was
stuck: feet,
socks and shoes!
At night, the
way was sleeping
with his
footwear on.
The next
morning, the
mother was
surprised to see
him lying on his
bed with his
shoes on, but
she thought he
had already put
them on. At
shower time,
Peter tried to
get them off of
his feet but
failed, so he
had to take his
shower like
that.
Seeing her son
bathing in socks
and sneakers,
the mother
asked:
- What is going
on, Peter?
Full of fear,
the boy had to
explain to the
mother that had
put glue in them
and now he could
not get them
off. She was
very concerned
because the glue
he had used was
very strong and
resilient.
However, after
getting some
information, the
mother calmed
down, because
all they had to
do was wait for
the glue to wear
out.
So Peter had to
do everything
wearing his
shoes: sleep,
bathe, go to
school etc. The
shoes and socks
would get wet
and dry on his
feet. As a
result, his feet
began to smell
very badly, and
when told the
reason why, his
friends would
walk away
laughing and
making fun of
him.
Desperate, Peter
cried a lot. He
felt very
ashamed and
could not stand
that situation
anymore. He did
not even want to
go to school!
Then, in tears,
he asked:
- Jesus, help
me! I cannot
take it anymore!
...
And crying, he
yelled:
- Mum! Mum! ..
The mother
entered the
room, terrified
by the screams
of the child:
- What is it,
Peter? Why are
you crying?
So Peter woke up
in his bed, in
tears:
- Oh, Mum! I
cannot stand to
be with these
shoes! That bad
smell makes me
sick!
I will not go to
school anymore!
...
- Calm down,
son! What shoes
are you talking
about ...?
Still upset,
Peter removed
the blanket and
looked at his
feet. To his
surprise, he saw
that he was
barefoot and no
longer felt that
horrible stench.
Everything was
normal!
- But, Mom, I
put glue in the
shoes and could
no longer take
them off...
The mom realized
what had
happened.
- It was only a
dream, my son.
It's over! Calm
down ...
Relieved, Peter
understood that
everything had
only been just a
dream! ...
- Mom! I had a
horrible
nightmare. I'll
never be lazy to
put on my shoes
again.
And he told his
mother what he
had dreamed.
Then as quickly
as he could, he
ran to shower to
get very clean.
The mother,
satisfied,
understood that
he had received
a lesson, and
mentally thanked
Jesus for the
help that her
son had
received.
Pleased and
excited, the boy
promised:
- I learned my
lesson, mom.
From now on,
I'll do
everything right
the way you
taught me. I'll
never be lazy
about anything,
especially
putting on my
shoes! ...
Meimei
(Received by
Celia Xavier de
Camargo on April
11, 2011.)
|
