Saving a Life

It was a beautiful sunny Saturday. Henry walked with his father under the shade of the trees in the municipal park.

Quietly, little Henry kept thinking. He had been shocked by some scenes he had seen the day before during the broadcast of a television news station.

- Dad, how can there be people who kill other people? - he asked.

Holding his little hand a little tighter, his father replied:

- It’s very sad, isn’t it, son? That is because men still bring evil in their hearts. If everyone loved each other as brothers, that would not happen. We would all be like one big family!

The boy, only six years-old but very observant, thought about it for a moment and said:

- But yesterday I saw on the TV news that a father was arrested because he injured his son! I thought all parents loved their children!

At that moment they were passing by a bench and his father invited:

- Let’s sit down and get some rest.

Settled on the bench, the father looked at the boy, who was waiting for an answer, and said:

- Everyone, Henry, is an evolving spirit. God, the Supreme Creator, created beings in evolution. Through many lives everyone will progress and improve, becoming better people. From microbes, which we do not see because they are very small, to the celestial stars that we contemplate in the distance, everything progresses.

The boy was surprised and started to ask:

- Ah! What about my kitten? And the flowers in that garden? And the fish we saw in the lake? And...

His father smiled lovingly, adding:

- Everything, son. Minerals, vegetables, animals and humans. Everything evolves. So when the human creature commits evil, it means that there is still much to learn. Even parents, whom children deem to be the best people in the world, and even though they love their children, are imperfect and aggressive within themselves. In time, everybody will become good and will only do good: to themselves, their peers and the world in which they live.

- Oh!

- Therefore, we must respect nature and respect life.

Henry, who listened carefully, recalled:

- But men kill animals to eat. Poor things!

- Yes, son, but that is part of our culture and it will eventually disappear. The worst is that there are men who kill and destroy for pleasure. Animals, which are inferior to us, only kill to defend themselves or to satisfy their hunger. But man will kill his own brethren with malice and animals for sport; he will destroy nature because of his ambition, burning forests and polluting rivers and cities.

The boy, with a worried face, exclaimed:

- Wow, Daddy! I want to do something to help!

- Very well, son. We can all help to preserve our planet so that it is better, cleaner and more enjoyable. Do you want to know how? Giving an example of love and respect for life and showing other people how to act.

Henry felt, at that moment, like a little man to whom a great task was bestowed.

It was late. Time to go back home.

They started walking again when they saw, coming in the opposite direction, a little girl and her mother.

The girl, who had just bought an ice cream, unwrapped it and threw the wrap on the ground.

As mother and daughter approached Henry and his father, a small cricket sprang out of the midst of the bushes and leapt between them.

The reactions were different. The girl took the ice cream from her mouth and ran towards the insect, lifting her foot threateningly as to crush it.

Henry also ran, and, more quickly, threw himself on the ground and managed to catch the cricket, before she could crush it with her foot.

Then he got up, still panting, stroke the frightened cricket that rested in the palm of his hand, smiled satisfied and said:

- Why did you want to kill him? Let him live! He did not do you any harm!

To the astonishment of mother and daughter, now blushed with shame, Henry looked at his father with pride and said:

- We have to preserve life, don’t we, Dad?

Then, without waiting for an answer, they resumed their walk.

He took a few steps but felt that something was still missing. He stopped, turned to the girl and added:

- And remember that the place for litter is in the rubbish!

Aunt Celia

Translation:

Johnny Silveira - silveirajohnny@yahoo.com