It was a torment
that was
repeated every
day at the time
to do her
homework: it was
the maths,
reading a book,
the
multiplication
tables.
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Carla hated all
that and it was
always
grudgingly that
she would sit
down at the
table to do her
homework.
Her loving
mother would try
to guide her:
- Carla, honey,
everything we do
with good will
weighs less.
Take the
opportunity to
learn and accept
what needs to be
done willingly
and cheerfully.
But she would
answer, feisty:
- I do not like
doing
multiplication
tables or maths.
None of it. I
hate studying.
|
 |
- But it is
necessary,
darling. There
are things which
we can’t escape,
and the sooner
we accept it,
the better.
However, the
difficulty
persisted. On
one occasion,
Carla was very
angry because
she had to read
a history book
for homework
that day.
With the book in
hand, the girl
cried, kicked,
and could not
read it.
Her mother
watching from
afar noticed
that in that
condition her
daughter could
not do her
homework, so she
said:
- All right,
Carla. If you do
not want to do
your homework
now, go do
something else.
Later on you
finish reading
the book. Go
sweep the
backyard for
me.
- Great, Mom!
Whew! Having to
read history is
the most
unpleasant
thing. I prefer
to sweep the
backyard.
Then all
satisfied, Carla
grabbed a broom
and went to the
backyard which
was full of dry
leaves.
It was very
windy that day
and Carla’s joy
soon ended. As
much as she
tried, she could
not finish the
job. The wind
would spread the
leaves again.
She tried and
tried but
failed.
So, very
unhappy, she
went in
complaining:
- What the heck!
The wind will
not let me clean
up the backyard!
I give up.
Her experienced
mother, mused:
- It's just a
question of
dealing with
your problems,
honey. We have
to accept the
obstacles that
life gives us
and learn how to
overcome them
with good will
and
determination.
Want to see?
Come and I'll
show you.
She took the
girl to the
backyard and
showed her that
since she could
not beat the
wind, she should
use it to her
advantage.
- How? - the
surprised girl
asked.
- It's simple.
Instead of
sweeping against
the wind, sweep
downwind -
explained her
mother.
And so Carla
did. Soon she
realised that
the task had
become easy,
pleasant and
quickly
completed.
Gathering the
leaves in a
corner, the girl
collected them
with an
appropriate
shovel.
When she
finished the
job, the girl
wiped her hands,
exclaiming
satisfied:
- Wow! Mom, I
can’t believe
how easy it was.
You are a
genius!
The mother
smiled pleased,
adding:
- Not really,
sweetheart. I'm
just a more
experienced
person who has
learned it's no
use going
against the
problems of
life. We have to
face them with
courage and
determination.
Escaping from
difficult
situations will
not help us to
solve them. If
we have good
will, we will
solve any
problem in our
lives.
 |
She paused and
concluded:
- Most of the
time, things are
not as bad as
they seem. It
largely depends
on the way we
see them.
Carla remembered
the homework
that she had
failed to finish
and realised
that her mother
was right. With
a little good
will she could
do it.
Quietly, she
again took the
history book and
sat down to read
it. She
gradually became
interested in
the subject and,
before long, she
was done.
She closed the
book and ran to
tell her
mother:
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- I finished
reading the
book, Mom. You
know that it was
not so hard?
Instead, the
story was even
very
interesting! You
were right,
grudgingly we
can’t do
anything.
The mother
hugged her
daughter, happy
and grateful to
God to see that
she had learned
her lesson.
Aunt Celia
