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José Antonio was
his name. But
everybody called
him Joe.
Joe, who would
soon turn 8, was
a good boy, but
had a very bad
habit: he was
always
complaining.
His mom,
patiently, tried
to make her son
understand he
had to change
his behavior,
unsuccessfully.
As they were
Spiritist, his
parents were
concerned about
his attitudes,
realizing that,
if he kept that
way, they would
have problems in
the future.
One day, his mom
told him:
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— Joey, I know
you like to
play, and it’s
normal, since
you’re a kid.
However, we all
need to help,
giving our
contribution to
our family’s
welfare. Jesus
gets sad if we
are not glad,
because we have
a lot to thank
for God, our
Father. We have
everything.
That’s why, we
need to be
optimist and
happy to be
alive, my son.
— Did you
understand,
darling?
— Yes, mom.
The boy promised
that he would
try to change
from that day
on.
On the following
day, after Joe
came back from
school, his mom
gave him a task:
to buy soap at
the supermarket,
because they had
run out.
The boy left
whining.
Later, his mom
asked him to lay
the table for
lunch.
Joe did it,
mumbling.
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As she couldn’t
leave, his mom
asked him to
take his brother
to school.
Later, she asked
him to put away
the dishes and
sweep the yard.
Joe obeyed,
always
complaining.
In the evening,
at the Home
Gospel time, his
mom asked him
whether he had
done all the
tasks he was
told.
— Yes, mom. I
did everything.
Jesus must be
proud of me.
The lady shook
her head,
saying:
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— No, not yet.
There’s
something
missing.
Joe thought...
thought...
thought... but
he couldn’t come
up with an
answer.
— Well, mom, I
think you are
wrong. I did
everything you
asked me to.
And, counting,
he described all
his activities:
— I went to
school, to the
supermarket; I
set the table
for lunch, I
took my brother
to school, I
swept the yard
and put away the
dishes.
Wow!
I had a busy
day! — said the
boy,
complaining.
— But there’s
still one thing
missing, my son.
— What’s it,
mom?
— If you did
everything you
were assigned
to, you need to
do them with
joy.
Only then did
Joe remember
what he had
promised the day
before.
He bent down his
head, admitting
his mom was
right.
Caringly, she
went with her
fingers through
his hair, and
said:
— Never mind,
honey. Tomorrow
will be another
day. God will
give us new
opportunities
for us to
improve,
practicing what
we learned.
Aunt Célia
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