Since Louie was
a very naughty
boy, his mother
would always
have to rebuke
him for the
wrong things he
did. He would
pull the cat's
tail, quarrel
with his sister,
argue with his
classmates at
school,
dismantle his
bicycle, break
the stereo,
among other
things. When he
was rebuked,
realising what
he had done,
Louie would say:
- Sorry, Mom. I
did not think it
through. Before
I knew it I had
already done it!
Therefore, his
mother had to be
always attentive
to what Louie
was doing.
One day, after
he had done
something wrong
and tired of his
tricks, his
mother said to
him in a very
serious tone:
- Honey, you
need to think
better about
what the things
you do. You're
eight and cannot
act like a three
year-old!...
Feeling guilty,
he explained:
- I know, Mom.
But when I
noticed it I had
already done it!
|
- That’s
exactly
the
point,
Louie…
you need
to think
first.
After we
do
something,
there's
no
turning
back.
For
example:
Yesterday
you
climbed
on the
roof of
the
house.
You
could
have
fallen
and been
seriously
injured!
The
other
day,
behind
my back,
you lit
a match
and set
fire to
a bunch
of old
things
you did
not want
anymore
in your
room.
And if I
hadn't
seen it,
you
could
have
burned
down our
house!
Fortunately,
I
smelled
the
smoke
and
managed
to put
out the
fire
before
it
caused
greater
damage!
And
another
day... |
 |
- Enough, Mom! I
know you're
right. I have
been acting very
badly. I promise
I will not do it
again. I'll try
to improve -
said the boy.
- All right,
sweetheart. This
is an important
decision. Pray
and ask Jesus
for help. You
will certainly
be helped as
long as you
really want to
improve. But
before you do
anything, think:
would I like if
someone did this
to me?
And that's what
the boy did. At
night, before
going to bed, he
asked Jesus to
warn him when he
was about to do
something wrong.
And when Louie
woke up in the
morning, he said
to himself:
- I’m going to
do everything
right today, as
Mom taught me.
Jesus will help
me!
Full of good
intentions,
Louie left the
house.
On his way to
school, he saw
Amanda walking
in front of him
and he did not
like her very
much. He had the
urge to pull her
hair and run.
When he already
had his arm
outstretched to
grab her hair,
Louie remembered
what his mother
had said, and
thought: If I
were in her
place, would I
like it to have
this done to me?
No, I would not
like it! So he
lowered his arm.
The girl saw
him, he smiled
at her and they
began to talk as
they walked
together to
school. And,
after all,
Amanda was not
as annoying as
he thought. She
was actually
very nice!...
At recess, Louie
saw George
holding a
sandwich in his
hand which he
was about to
eat. At that
moment, Louie
felt like
throwing his
classmate's
snack on the
floor, just to
watch his
reaction.
Suddenly, he
thought better,
and gave it up,
lowering his
arm. Because he
was near, Louie
sat down next to
the boy and they
began to talk.
So he learned
that George was
very poor and
that his mother
had prepared
that sandwich to
be eaten for
breakfast, but
he had preferred
to take it to
eat at school,
so that he would
be like the
other boys.
Louie asked:
- George, you're
a nice guy! Why
are you always
isolated from
everyone else?
- It’s because
I'm very shy.
But I like to
talk, like we
are doing now!
They left that
area and went on
to play on the
slide and had a
good time. Soon
recess was over
and they went
back to class,
but now they
were friends.
On his way back
home, Louie saw
a street dog and
wanted to kick
it. Perceiving
his intention,
the animal
shrank back
against a wall,
full of fear.
But once again
the boy thought
about what he
was going to do
and stopped.
Seeing the
frightened
little dog, he
bent down and
gave it
affection. The
little animal,
now with a
different
expression,
looked at him
and licked his
hand, snuggling
against his
legs. Filled
with pity, Louie
took his new
friend home.
The mother was
surprised to see
her son arrive
with a dog but
the boy
explained:
- Mom, I found
this puppy on
the street.
Apparently he
has no owner.
Can I keep him?
- Yes, honey.
But you will be
responsible for
him. He will
depend on you.
- You can count
on me, Mom. I'll
take good care
of him.
 |
Louie
arranged
a place
for his
new
friend
to
sleep,
fixed
him a
container
with
food and
another
with
water,
and then
gave him
a good
shower.
Soon,
the dog
looked
different.
Before
going to
sleep,
his
mother
went to
wish him
good
night
and saw
that the
little
animal
was at
the side
of the
bed. She
smiled
and
asked: |
- What's his
name?
- Spot. Mom, did
you see how he
became my
friend?
- It is true.
Whenever we do
good we get good
things back. And
friendship is
one of them!
Louie thought a
little bit, then
commented on the
day he had:
- You’re right,
Mom. Today, I
woke up with the
purpose of doing
everything
right, and yet I
almost lost
everything. But
when I was going
to do something
wrong, something
reminded me of
my goal and I
would think of
the words you
told me last
night, that is,
that I should
put myself in
the other
person's shoes.
And that's what
I did!...
And he told his
mother
everything that
had happened,
finally saying:
- Thanks to
behaving well, I
did everything
right and I got
three new
friends today:
Amanda, who was
not boring like
I thought;
George, who did
not talk to me
because he was
very shy, and I
found him to be
quite nice. And,
finally, my dear
Spot, who found
a home. For all
this, I am
happy, Mom! ...
I am at peace
with myself and
with others! ...
And all this in
one day!
The mother
smiled, wrapping
her son in a
big,
affectionate
hug.
- I see how
you're feeling,
honey. This is
the peace of a
clear
conscience. So
let's say a
prayer and thank
Jesus for the
day you had
today. And may
your future days
be full of
blessings too.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on July
4, 2011.)
