Clara would not
admit her fault
when she made a
mistake. In
everything that
happened, she
would always
blame it on
someone else.
At home, when
she broke
something in the
kitchen, she
would put it on
her little
brother:
- Caius did it,
Mom.
- Clara, how
could Caius, who
is so little,
have tipped the
cup that was on
the table?
- I do not know,
Mom - she
answered -
perhaps he
climbed on a
chair!
- But your
brother does not
know how to
climb on chairs,
Clara!
- Then, I do not
know! - she
would say and go
away.
At school it was
the same thing.
A classmate
complained about
a torn up book
he had lent her,
but immediately
Clara replied:
- I did not do
it. You lent it
to me, I read it
and put it back
inside your
backpack nicely.
It must have
been Lauro, who
sits next to
you. It wasn't
me!
And that's how
it always was.
One day, Clara's
elder brother
was very angry
with her because
she had
punctured his
football.
 |
- It was not me,
Jamie! Why would
I do that? You
lent the ball to
me then I put it
back in your
room, as I got
it! It must have
been Caius. It
was not me.
And so, for
anything that
happened, Clara
always had an
excuse. Until
one day, tired
of that
behavior, her
mother decided
to talk with
her. She led her
to the bedroom
and said:
- Clara, you
know what
happened today:
the kitchen
cabinet fell
down. |
Before the
mother could
accuse her,
Clara said:
- Mom, it was
Caius!
The mother took
a deep breath
and considered:
- Clara, Caius
could not have
climbed a chair
and knocked the
kitchen cabinet
over! Also I'm
not blaming you!
I know that the
kitchen cabinet
was old and
could tip over.
I only want to
know the truth.
The girl lowered
her head and
said nothing.
The mother
hugged her,
snuggling her
against her
chest and said:
- My daughter,
we often keep
things that
bother us
inside, making
us feel bad. It
is a great
weight we put on
our shoulders
and will not go
away until we
tell the truth.
Problems happen
and we do not
need to feel
guilty about
them. They are
part of life!
Hearing her
mother's words,
Clara began to
cry:
- Mom, it was me
who knocked the
kitchen cabinet
down. It was an
accident! I
wanted to grab
some candy that
was on top so I
stood on the
chair. Before I
knew it the
cabinet fell
over knocking
everything down.
I'm sorry,
Mommy! I did not
mean to break
the glasses,
dishes and
everything else
that was in it.
- I know, dear.
I just wanted
you to tell it
to me in order
to relieve your
little heart.
- Aren't you
going to be
angry with me?
- No, dear. I
know you did not
mean it. And I
did not want you
to keep that
weight in your
little head.
The girl closed
her eyes and
said:
- I have never
felt so relieved
as now, Mom.
When I would put
the blame on
others was for
fear of being
punished.
- I know, Clara.
But I always
knew when it was
you who had done
it. Your face
would show the
truth. That is
why in any
situation the
truth is always
the best
approach.
The girl hugged
her mother
happily.
- But how did
you know I had
knocked the
kitchen cabinet
over, Mom?
- Because I saw
when it
happened. I ran
to help you,
afraid you got
hurt but when I
approached you
got up and,
though
frightened, were
fine. As you did
not see me, I
decided to let
you tell me the
truth.
|
- Mom, I'll
never blame
others for what
I do again. The
truth is the
best way. I'm
feeling great
now. I will also
take
responsibility
for all the
times that I was
wrong.
So Clara sought
her younger
brother, Caius,
and asked his
forgiveness for
the times in
which she
accused him to
escape
liability. Then
she sought Jamie
and did the same
thing, getting a
hug from her
brother for her
courage to tell
the truth. At
school, she had
the same
attitude with
the classmates
who she had
wronged. |
 |
Upon returning
home, Clara was
happy and
relieved. She
had never felt
so at peace with
herself.
That evening, as
they gathered to
do the Gospel at
home, Clara
looked at each
one of her
family members,
and thanked God
for the
opportunity to
have managed to
overcome her
great
difficulty:
lying.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
09/23/2013.)
