Nine year-old
Eduarda lived in
a very nice
neighborhood of
the city. In
that
neighborhood,
she had several
friends and they
used to play in
their quiet
street. One day,
they saw a
moving truck
arrive. They
rejoiced to see
a boy about
their age appear.
Duda approached
the boy and said:
- Hello! I'm
Eduarda. My
friends and I
play here in the
street. Would
you like to
participate?
- Get a life,
girl! I do not
usually have
friendship with
people like you.
Go find your
kind - the boy
muttered angrily,
with a frown.
Duda lowered her
head, upset, and
returned to her
friends, telling
them what he had
said. They were
all sad because
they had never
met anyone like
that. They
decided not to
worry about the
new neighbor and
went back to
playing.
However, they
soon realized
that there would
be no more peace
in the
neighborhood.
From that day on,
everything got
difficult. The
boy, John,
enrolling at
Duda's school,
teamed up with a
bunch of boys
like him, and
started to
create problems
for everyone
else.
Duda and her
friends did not
play in the
street anymore,
because the boys
would spoil
everything. They
would cut the
ball with a
knife; if Duda
and her friends
were reading a
magazine or a
book, they would
tear it up and
then they would
leave, running.
They did all
that laughing.
 |
The neighborhood,
once so pleasant,
became sad now,
without the joy
of the children.
One day, Duda
returned home
and went to the
kitchen where
her mother was
baking a cake.
Seeing her, the
mother realized
she was sad and
asked why.
- Oh, mom!
Remember that
boy who recently
moved here? He
is terrible! -
replied the girl
with tears
streaming down
her face.
And Duda told
her mother what
was happening.
The mother heard,
while
|
|
continuing
to stir the cake
batter. Then she
said: |
- Dear, have you
seen what the
yeast does when
you put it in
the dough?
- Mom! ... -
cried the girl
indignantly -
I'm telling you
a problem I have
and you come to
tell me of cake
and yeast?! ...
- Duda, the
dough and the
yeast have
everything to do
with your
problem. Jesus
taught us that a
little leaven
leavens the
whole dough,
that is, it
makes the dough
rise a lot. But
Jesus wanted to
teach us that
with our
thoughts, with
our attitudes,
we can act as
the yeast,
changing the
situation we are
facing!
- Got it. It
means I need to
find a way to
change the
situation. But
how? - the girl
murmured, then
began to think,
quiet.
- People who act
like that,
grumpy, with
violence,
aggression, are
usually fragile,
facing serious
problems, and
that's the way
they play out
the way they
feel. Get it? -
her mom
explained.
- Yes, Mom. I'll
talk to the gang
and see what we
can do.
But the next day
John did not go
to school. Not
even the
following days.
Concerned, Duda
decided to go
visit him.
Arriving at his
house, she rang
the bell and a
lady came to the
door.
- Good morning!
I'm Eduarda,
John's classmate
at school. I am
worried and came
to know what is
happening to him.
The lady, who
was looking
tired, sad,
displayed a
slight smile.
- Come in,
Eduarda. John is
sick. Come to
his room.
Duda said it was
not necessary,
she just wanted
to know how he
was. But the
lady insisted
and Duda entered
his room. She
was shaking with
fear. Seeing her,
the boy was
surprised and
showed some
satisfaction.
The mother,
claiming she had
chores to do,
left them alone.
- Hello,
neighbor. What
brought you here?
Came to see if I
was dead?
- I was worried
about you, John.
You haven't gone
to school for
days.
- Well, no need
to worry. It's
just the flu.
Also do not call
me John. I do
not like it.
- But why? It's
a beautiful name!
John was
|
 |
|
the
youngest apostle
of Jesus, and he
was very
attached to the
Master. It must
be why your
parents gave you
that name! |
- No. It's
because my
father's name is
John. That is
why I do not
like my name.
- Well, I think
you should be
proud of it. My
father told me
that after the
crucifixion,
everything was
difficult for
the followers of
Jesus. Mary, His
mother, was
alone and moved
away to live
with some
relatives. Some
years later,
John came to her
and invited her
to go with him
to Ephesus,
where he had
gotten a house
and worked in
the
dissemination of
the teachings of
Jesus. Mary went
and stayed with
John until the
end of her life.
When Duda
finished telling
the story,
John's eyes were
moist.
- Beautiful
story. Now I see
that it has
nothing to do
with my father,
who gets annoyed
by anything,
becomes violent,
crude, and hits
all that are
close by.
At that moment,
Duda noticed the
marks he had on
his arms, face,
and felt very
sorry.
Remembering what
her mother had
said, she
repeated:
- John, your
father probably
does not mean to
do it. Inside,
he must have
many problems he
cannot solve.
Have mercy on
him.
The boy looked
at her and took
her hand, saying:
- Eduarda, you
do not know how
much good you
did to me today.
I was terrible
and now I feel
much better.
Will you forgive
me? I know I
hurt you a lot.
- There is
nothing to be
forgiven, John.
May I come back
again?
- Of course! And
bring your
friends. I want
to know them
better, if they
are like you...
Duda smiled and
said goodbye,
then walked away
thinking: How
much goodness
can a little
love and
attention do.
But everyone in
the house needs
help. The mother
is very sad and
the father must
have many
problems. I'll
talk to my
parents. Maybe
they can help
them... - You
are right,
Master Jesus. A
little leaven is
enough to make
the whole dough
rise. Thank you!
And Eduarda,
with renewed
spirits returned
to her home,
where there was
love and
tranquility.
Going into the
house, she could
smell that
freshly baked
cake. She smiled
and took the
piece of the
cake that her
mother gave her,
saying:
- Thanks, Mom!
What a little
leaven in the
dough can
accomplish, isn't
it?
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
08/07/2013.)
