Theme: Willpower

 
Where there's a will, there's a way

The two brothers Marcos and Miguel were playing Ludo. In this game, each player has to go forward the space houses with their 4 pieces on the board, depending on the number that comes out in the dice. Whoever arrives with all the pieces to the place indicated, wins.

It was Mark's turn. He was annoyed because there were several moves that he only took low numbers. Miguel was luckier, took 6 or 5 several times, so he was winning. Marcos was hopeful, shook the dice and played but the number 1 came out.

It was then the nervous boy threw the dice away and shouted:

- Damn it!

Then he messed up all the pieces of the board and then shouted:

- I do not want to play it anymore! This game is very annoying!

- Why have you done this, Mark? You are boring! Just because I was winning! It’s not possible to play with you! - Said Miguel, angry at his brother's behaviour.

Their mother saw what had happened, ordered them to save the game, calmed Miguel and after a while called Marcos to talk:

- Son, why did you ruin the game? When you started playing, you knew you could win or lose. Would you like if Miguel did it when you were almost winning?

- I know it was wrong mama! - Said Marcos. - But I get really nervous when I lose.

- Well, I think it's good you control yourself, otherwise he will not want to play with you anymore! Said his mother.

That same week, Marcos was playing soccer with his friends when the other team scored a goal. He was so furious that he kicked the ball which ended up on the avenue between two passing cars. The boys got annoyed and told him to pick up the ball. But Mark did not listen to them and irritated with everything went home in a rampage.

Many similar situations repeated until one day Marcos was sad and wanted to speak with his mother.

- What is it, my dear? - She asked.

- It's just that my friends no longer want to play with me. They don’t let me in the team and even when it's me who invites, they don’t want to play. I know it's because I sometimes get nervous but I can’t do anything, I can’t control myself.

- Son, I'm glad you've figured it out! This is already an important step. But you're wrong about not being able to control yourself. I want to tell you something I learned by reading "The Spirits’ Book."

Marcos's mother was spirit and very studious. She then explained that people are never meant to commit evil. They may have bad tendencies, but they always have the free will to choose if they give in to these evil inclinations or not.

- Like what? Marcos asked without understanding.

The mother went on:

- Each of us has moral imperfections. We reincarnate to improve spiritually and evolve. But we have free choice, that is, free will, which is the ability to choose what we are going to do. It often happens that we still do not have enough willpower to do what is right, and we continue with our usual behaviour. If we really want to improve, we will always receive from God the necessary resources and the help of the good spirits as well. So Mark, you say you cannot, but you really do not really want to control yourself yet.

Marcos then understood. He realized that to change he would have to work hard. They kept talking for a while and the mother helped him making a list of attitudes that could help him.

The boy spent a few more days not being accepted in games, but after a while, the opportunities arose. He started playing with new friends and was very happy about it.

His mother always reminded him of his proposal. He said that he needed to be prepared for the possibility of losing, and that the most important thing was to have friends and have fun. She also told him to count to ten before taking a wrong turn. If he got too nervous, he could leave the game for a few minutes. They still prayed together, asking Mark's guardian angel to help him.

After a while, Miguel agreed to return to play with his brother. They played board games, basketball, soccer, betting race and more.

At many moments, Mark was as nervous as before, but he remembered the resources he had and used them. At first it was difficult, but soon he became used to the new attitudes and realized that they were worth it. The effort he made was far less than the satisfaction he felt in controlling himself. He was happy to have friends who liked to play with him, and especially because he had learned that when it comes to getting better, where there's a will, there's a way.

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com