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Gilbert was a
very mischievous
boy. He was not
mean but was
always playing
tricks on people,
causing trouble
at school and
scaring his
little brothers
at home. When he
was around no
one had peace.
As he entered a
place he would
be grudgingly
welcomed because
everyone knew
that he would
misbehave.
Dona1 Dalva,
his mother,
worried about
the child's
behaviour
because she
could not change
it.
One day, talking
to a Spiritist
friend, Gilbert's
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mother vented a
bit saying that
she could no
longer
cope
with the
complaints
about
him that
came
from all
sides:
from
neighbours,
school,
relatives
and
friends. |
- Why don't you
try to send him
to the Christian
Moral lessons at
the Spiritist
Centre to which
I go? - her
friend
suggested.
- Would it help?
- the mother
replied
doubtful.
With a serene
smile her friend
mused:
- It would not
hurt to try! You
have nothing to
lose, right?
I'll see what I
can do.
Dalva thought
for a moment and
acknowledged
that her friend
Neide could be
right. They were
of another
religion, which
in fact they did
not even attend,
and her son was
growing up
without any
religious
concept.
- All right.
Where is this
Spiritist
Centre? - she
asked.
After taking
note of the
address, they
said goodbye and
each went back
to dealing with
their daily
chores.
On Sunday, Dalva
took the boy
there at the
agreed time
punctually. Some
children, who
already knew
Gilbert from
school, turned
up their noses
as they saw him
but said
nothing.
That day their
teacher Neide
would talk about
"Guardian
Angels".
- Did you know
that we all have
a Spirit of
Light, someone
interested in
our well-being
and progress, to
whom God gave
the mission to
guide and direct
us in life? -
she asked.
One of the
children said
quietly:
- So Gilbert's
Guardian Angel
must be a
"little devil"!
Hearing that the
other children
burst into
laughter, and
Gilbert
complained:
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- Excuse me,
teacher, but
this girl is
saying that I
live accompanied
by a "little
devil"!
Neide put order
in the room and
reproached the
students for
disrespecting
their new
classmate. Then
she explained:
- First, we need
to understand
that "little
devils" do not
exist. What
exist are
imperfect and
ignorant spirits
who like to play
and to cause
confusion and
minor
annoyances.
These are called
"mocking" or
"playful"
Spirits.
Whenever they
are close to us,
keeping us
company, it is a
sign that we are
not acting well
because it is
our thoughts
that attract
them. And when
that happens,
our Guardian
Angel, who
really loves us
and wants only
the best for us,
gets very sad.
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Gilbert paid
attention to
what the teacher
was saying. She
talked about
interesting
things that he
did not know. He
asked,
interested: |
- You mean that
"ghosts" really
exist?
The others
laughed, amused,
and the teacher
replied
seriously:
- Not really.
There are the
Spirits of
people who have
lived on earth
and have already
left their
material body,
or
disincarnated,
as we say. In
fact, no one
dies. We are all
immortal
spirits, created
for progress,
and God, our
Father, will
always give us
opportunities to
learn and
evolve. Those
who have already
left this life
go to the spirit
world which is
another reality
that coexists
with ours,
without us
noticing. So,
over there as on
Earth some are
good, some are
indifferent,
some are evil,
some are
diligent, some
are pranksters,
and so on.
Gilbert mused
for a while then
asked:
- So, then my
grandfather is
still alive!...
- Yes,
certainly. And
he still likes
you just the
same, Gilbert,
and surely
follows your
development with
interest.
Embarrassed,
Gilbert hung his
head and said
nothing else.
It was just that
his grandfather
was someone he
loved dearly. He
suffered a lot
with the death
of his beloved
grandpa and had
had trouble to
accept the fact
that he was
gone. Now,
knowing he was
alive caused him
great joy, but
also made him
apprehensive. If
his grandfather
was close to
him, he should
not be
appreciating his
behaviour.
After the class,
Gilbert returned
home and his mom
noticed a change
in her son.
At lunchtime,
his brother
teased with him
but Gilbert did
not react. He
did not disturb
anyone that day.
At bedtime, his
mother
accompanied him
to his room and
noted with
surprise that he
said a prayer,
something that
was not part of
his daily habits.
- Thank you,
Jesus, for this
day and help me
to be a good
boy. Protect my
Dad, Mom and my
little brothers,
and may we all
live in peace
and joy. So be
it.
Moved, Dalva
waited for him
to finish the
prayer and asked
him:
- I noticed you
very thoughtful
all day today,
honey. Did
something happen?
Gilbert told his
mother
everything he
learned in the
evangelization
class and
concluded,
widening his
expressive eyes:
- Have you ever
thought, Mom,
that Grandpa
might be sad
with me? I do
not want to let
him down. I want
him to be proud
of me!
Surprised at all
that her son had
told her and
with her eyes
moist with
emotion, Dalva
agreed with him,
mentally
thanking God for
the help sent to
them in the
person of her
friend Neide.
From that day on,
Dalva also began
attending the
Spiritist
Centre, as she
recognized how
important the
Spiritist
knowledge was to
people and the
good it had done
for her son and
the whole family.
Aunt
Celia
1 In
Brazilian
society, Dona is
a term of
respect that is
used with the
woman's first
name.
