Fernando was
walking down the
sidewalk kicking
everything in
his way. He was
angry and was
lashing out at
things and
people.
 |
Passing by a tin
can that someone
had thrown on
the ground, he
kicked it and it
went into the
street. A driver
trying to avoid
it almost
crashed into
another car
coming from the
opposite
direction.
But Fernando did
not even notice!
With his hands
in his pocket he
kept walking and
complaining
about life.
Suddenly, he saw
a piece of wood
and kicked it
hard, almost
hitting a woman
who walked
towards him. The
woman, very
annoyed,
complained:
- Hey boy! Why
did you do it?
You could have
hurt me!
Fernando grunted
and went on his
way. Later, he
|
|
bumped
into a
girl who
was
holding
an ice
cream.
The ice
cream
fell to
the
ground
and the
girl
began to
cry. |
| |
|
|
But Fernando did
not care!
As he arrived
home, he noticed
that his sister
was arriving
too. Still
angry, he
muttered:
- Ah! We arrived
together, Vivi.
I did not notice
you.
- I know - she
answered
gravely.
|
 |
It was lunch
time and they
settled down at
the table. Their
father said a
prayer, that all
accompanied
mentally, then
they helped
themselves to
the food.
Fernando was
hungry. Vivi
would always let
him help himself
first, because
she was
younger.
But on that day,
she made sure to
serve her plate
first, to which
he complained:
- Hey, Vivi! I
help myself
first,
remember?
The sister
turned to him
and replied
seriously:
- From now on,
no. You do not
deserve it.
Fernando was
startled and
thought: - "What
have I done to
Vivi that made
her mad at
me?".
Their parents
thought it was
strange but
remained silent.
After lunch they
would try to
find out the
reason for their
daughter's
behavior, as she
had always been
so affectionate
with her
brother.
Later on,
Fernando
complained:
- Vivi, you left
your clothes on
the bathroom
floor! Don't you
know that we
should respect
the rules?
The girl turned
to her brother,
surprised, and
asked:
- That is true,
Fernando. Do you
respect the
rules? Do you
show respect to
people, to
children?
At that moment,
Fernando
remembered that
his sister had
arrived home
with him. Had
she seen what he
did? She surely
would have told
their mother.
Then he tried to
justify
himself:
- Ah! Mom, Vivi
is a gossip. I
didn't do
anything on
purpose! I was
angry! I did not
do well in the
test and my
teacher, Miss
Daisy, gave me a
zero. I
complained and
she grounded
me!
The mother,
hearing the
explanation of
the child
understood that
he should have
done more than
just that and
remembered that
Fernando and
Vivi arrived
home at the same
time.
- So, tell me.
What did you do
on the street,
my son?
 |
- Nothing, Mom.
When I left
school, I kicked
a can that hit a
car. It was not
my fault if the
driver almost
collided with
another car that
was coming
opposite him!
- Then what? -
urged the
mother,
horrified.
|
|
- Then ... I
kicked a piece
of wood that hit
a woman! But I
had no
intention, Mom,
I swear! - told
the boy. |
As the mother
insisted to hear
the rest, he
continued:
- I bumped into
a little girl
and her ice
cream fell to
the ground. She
was crying, but
it was not my
fault! -
explained the
boy.
The mother sat
him on the couch
and sat down
too. With a
stern voice, she
asked:
- Fernando, do
you have any
idea what could
have happened
today on the
street in those
few blocks
between your
school and our
home?
Trying to change
the subject, the
boy complained:
- Mom, nothing
serious
happened! Vivi
is a gossip,
believe you me!
With a serious
expression, the
mother replied:
- Fernando, your
sister told me
nothing. You
need to learn to
respect others,
son. Nobody is
to blame for
your problems.
Think about it:
If that car had
crashed into the
other, the
drivers could
even had died!
And the lady who
you hit with the
piece of wood,
could have
gotten injured
or could have
fallen to the
ground and
seriously
injured herself!
And the girl
whose ice cream
you dropped? If
someone in her
family were
watching, they
would have
fought with
you!
- But Mom, I did
not mean it! I
did not mean to
cause trouble!
- But you did.
You broke the
rules of
coexistence with
people, of
civility, of
respect for
another human
being. Put
yourself in
their shoes.
Would you like
if the same was
done to you?
- Of course not,
Mom!
- So, dear, you
must act your
best with
everyone, as you
would have them
act with you.
Furthermore, we
should worry
about correcting
our actions, and
not correcting
other people's
actions.
Fernando
understood
perfectly that
he had acted
wrong and
decided at that
moment that he
would make
everything
different from
then on. Then he
remembered:
- Mom, I was
rude to my
teacher at
school today.
I'm going to
Miss Daisy's
house to
apologize to
her. I cannot
leave it till
tomorrow! I want
to resolve it
today.
- You're right,
dear. Go with
God!
Fernando left
the house and
his mother
smiled,
satisfied,
certain that
from that day on
Fernando would
think best
before acting.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia Xavier
de Camargo on
22/04/2013.)
