|
Carlos, a very
naughty boy,
came in home
feeling upset.
He was in the
yard playing
soccer with his
friends and,
unintentionally,
he broke the
glass of a
window.
His dad, reading
the paper in the
porch, saw what
happened. He
came up to him
and said:
 |
—
Be careful, my
son!
Never kick the
ball like that.
You just broke
our window. What
if it was our
neighbor’s? I
would have to
pay! And what if
you had hurt
someone?
— But, daddy, it
wasn’t my fault!
— Whatever,
you’ve caused us
damage and I’ll
deduct from your
allowance.
Getting in the
kitchen, Carlos
sat in chair,
angry. Maria,
the maid, doing
the dishes,
asked:
|
— What happened,
Carlos?
— My father
shouted at me
just because I
broke a window.
He said he was
going to deduct
from my
allowance. It’s
always my fault!
Always!!
Maria, who was
very fond of the
boy, replied:
— Carlos, we are
always
responsible for
our actions. And
your father was
just trying to
teach you to be
like that,
disciplined and
respectful
towards others’
things.
— Maria, but he
shouts at me all
the time! To
take a shower,
do the homework,
organize my
toys.
I’m tired! I
wish I had
another dad.
Maria, listen, I
think I won’t
give him a
present on
Father’s Day.
— He does that
because he loves
you, Carlos. And
he doesn’t shout
at you all the
time.
Carlos, calmer,
thought for a
bit and agreed.
He remembered
all the times
his father took
him out, went
fishing, had ice
cream, and rode
a bicycle. All
the times he
arrived tired
from work, but
helped him with
the homework,
that he couldn’t
do alone.
More: he
remembered the
times that his
father got in
his room to kiss
him good
night.
— You’re right,
Maria. My dad
does care about
me.
And Maria, who
suffered a lot,
laid her hand on
his head, sat by
his side and
said:
— I’m going to
tell you a
story, Carlos.
There is a boy
who, since he
was a kid, was
very naughty,
did bad things,
shouted at the
neighbors,
didn’t respect
people, but
there was nobody
to teach him.
His mom loved
him a lot and,
as the boy had
no dad, she
didn’t want him
to suffer. So,
she always
forgave the boy,
giving him
special
attention. She
never believed
in the teachers
at school nor
the people who
came up to her
to complain
about her son.
One day, he
started stealing
things.
At the
beginning, there
were small
robberies, but
then he started
stealing bigger
things, radios,
TV sets, and
even cars.
Carlos was
interested in
the story:
— And then? — he
asked.
— Well, he ended
up in jail. Her
mom regrets not
giving him a
proper
education.
The boy was
impressed.
— Do you know
him, Maria?
With her eyes
watering she
said:
— Yes, I do.
This boy is my
son.
|
At that moment
the boy realized
that, although
Maria worked at
his house since
he was born, he
knew nothing
about her life.
Maria stopped
talking, wiped
her tears away,
and said:
— So, Carlos,
thank God every
day for having a
dad that cares
about you and
loves you. If I
had cared about
giving a good
education and
religious
orientations to
my son, he would
be with me now.
Carlos, then,
said:
|
 |
|
— That’s why
mommy and daddy
always say that
the Gospel of
Jesus will make
us better
people.
|
— That’s right,
Carlos.
However, I
didn’t know at
the time.
Back from
shopping, his
mom came in and
Carlos ran up to
her.
— Mommy! Mommy!
We need to buy
dad’s gift!
— Easy, my son!
Why are you so
anxious about
that?
— It’s because I
found out I have
a wonderful dad!
THE BEST DAD IN
THE WORLD!
Aunt Célia
|
