The Will to Change
 

Despite all that his mother taught him at home and what he learned in school, twelve year-old Julian was a boy who had no control of his emotions.

As he did not admit being thwarted, anything could become a big problem for the boy. His wants had to be obeyed and his desires satisfied quickly.
 

When this did not happen, Julian would be filled with anger, his blood would boil and he would scream, throwing at the wall or wherever else, anything he had in his hands. Thus, the things he had in his bedroom were constantly broken, because he would throw books, toys, chairs, lamps against the wall. He would break mirrors, windows, anything within reach.

When his mother heard noises, she knew something had happened that got her child angry and would run into the room trying to calm him down and solve the problem, which could be about an outfit that he wanted to wear, a toy that was not found, homework or any other difficulty.

That day, the mother was in the living room when she heard the boy scream. Ashamed of the neighbours who could not avoid hearing all that noise, she ran to his room.

- Calm down, my son! What happened? - she asked.

- It is this crappy toy that will not work!

And Julian took the remote controlled race car that he got for Christmas, and was now broken, and flung it on the wall, full of anger.

The mother trembled! It was an expensive toy, and now even the race track was broken!

At that moment, a startled face appeared at the door. It was his new friend Diana, a very friendly girl of his age who had moved into the house next door. Hearing the noise and worried, she came to know what was happening.

Seeing the girl in the doorway, her eyes wide and her scared look, Julian tried to contain himself, breathing deeply.
 

	- Hi, Julian! Sorry I came in without knocking but I heard the noise and thought something serious was happening to you. Can I help? Hearing her soft and gentle voice, he calmed down a bit. He took the toy he threw against the wall, and explained: - It is this new race car! I just got it as a gift and it
does not work! Can you believe it?!...

The girl looked at the toy he had in his hands, now broken, and asked:

- What about now, do you think it will work?

Julian bowed his head in shame, and Diana continued:

- It's a shame, really! It must have costed a lot. In this case, as the toy is new, it would suffice to have sought the store that sold it and they would solve the issue! You know, Julian, I learned from my parents that when we want something, it does not help to lose control. Only calmly we can solve our problems.

The boy tried to justify:

- But I cannot control myself, Diana! I am this way and so is my body, you know? The blood boils and before I realize it, I've done it.

- But it is not your body that is guilty, because he only obeys the orders of the spirit! Would you blame a misguided horse, which obeys the orders of the rider, of the damage it causes? The same rule applies to our body! I learned this in a text of the Gospel. But ... have you ever managed to solve anything this way?

- No. Never! I only lose what I have - recognized the boy, full of shame.

The girl looked around, saddened. The room seemed to have been swept by a storm that left everything broken.

- And now? What will you do with this mess? - she asked.

- Oh! It will all be thrown away. Then my parents will buy it all again!

The girl was thoughtful for a few seconds, then muttered:

- I think this is the problem. If it happened to me, that is, if I broke everything in my room, my parents would not be able to afford replacing what was broken, giving me new things. So, I try to keep what I have with great care.

Hearing the thoughtful words of the girl, Julian's mother was also embarrassed. She realized that he had spoiled her son and now if he was this way, it was because he had never learned to have discipline.

Julian promised himself never to act that way again, and asked his friend:

- Do you think I can change, Diana?

- Sure you can! Just use your will!

- OK, I will try!

                                                                  MEIMEI


(Psychographed by Celia X. de Camargo on 26/12/2011.)