Children's Day
was approaching
and Daniel was
curious,
thinking about
what gift he
would get. Maybe
a remote
controlled car,
or a football?
Or maybe
something
bigger, like a
new bike since
his was old? Or
a cellphone? Who
knew, maybe a
skateboard?!
And so Daniel
would get lost
in his desires
and could not
think of
anything else,
eager to see the
big day arrive.
A week before
the much awaited
occasion, taking
advantage of a
moment when his
father was
resting, Daniel
asked:
- Daddy, what am
I going to get
for Children's
Day? Can I
choose it?
The father
thought for a
moment and
replied sadly:
- My son, the
situation is
difficult now.
I'm earning
little in my
current job and
maybe I will not
be able to get
you a gift.
Daniel left the
room without
saying anything
and went to cry
in his room.
Later on that
same day, his
mother had gone
to the
supermarket
when, while
crossing a
street, she was
hit by a vehicle
that had ignored
a red light.
 |
Someone
immediately
called an
ambulance and
she was taken to
the hospital.
His father, once
told, left his
job and went to
the hospital
where his wife
was. The doctors
said that the
case was serious
because she had
been hit in the
head. |
Daniel, who was
playing in a
neighbor's
house, at
finding out what
happened to his
mother, started
crying and
wanted to go to
the hospital to
see his mother,
but the neighbor
warned:
- Daniel, your
father called
and asked me to
look after you.
The hospital
does not allow
children there,
especially if
unaccompanied.
It's better to
wait for news.
Your father, as
soon as possible
will come home.
With no other
options, Daniel
desperately
cried, concerned
about his
mother. He
remembered his
concern with the
gift and asked
Jesus :
- Jesus, I do
not want a gift
for Children's
Day anymore. I
only wish that
my mother gets
well, returns to
our home and
stays with me.
Feeling like
doing something,
he thought: What
can I do to
help?
|
Then, Daniel
remembered
everything his
mother did for
them, taking
care of the
house, cooking,
sweeping the
floor, doing the
laundry, ironing
the clothes and
much more. Then
an idea came to
his little head:
The house is a
mess. I will
help my mother!
Despite being
only eight
years-old,
Daniel took a
broom and swept
the house. He
made the beds,
put the clean
clothes away and
took to the
dirty ones
to
the
laundry
room.
He
noticed
that the
|
 |
|
garden
plants
were
wilting
and
watered
them. He
just did
not know
how to
use the
stove to
cook. |
As he was alone,
he ate his meals
at the
neighbor's
house. He told
dona1 Estella,
his friend's
mother, what he
was doing and
concluded:
- I just cannot
do the laundry
and press them.
- Do not worry,
Daniel. I'll
help you by
washing and
ironing the
clothes.
A few days
later, Daniel's
mother got
better and left
the hospital.
Daniel's father
arrived home
with her. She
was okay but
still needed
rest. The boy
approached his
mother with
great affection:
- Mom, I really
missed you! I am
glad you came
back to our
home.
- I also missed
you, my dear.
But, thank God,
I'm well now!
Our house is
clean and tidy.
Who did all
this?
- It was me,
Mom. Dona
Estella just did
the laundry and
ironing.
The mother
hugged him, full
of joy.
- Ah, my son!
You have become
a little man
taking care of
the house! I
missed you so!
Now everything
will go back to
normal.
 |
At that moment,
his father
entered the room
with a gift and
handed it to his
son:
- Daniel, I have
not forgotten
that today is
Children's Day,
son! This is not
an expensive
gift, but it is
what I could
afford!
Congratulations!
- and he hugged
his son.
Only at that
moment the boy
remembered what
he had so much
desired, and
thanked him: |
- Thanks, Dad,
but it is not
necessary. I did
not even
remember this
anymore. What I
wanted was for
my mother to
come home. Now I
understand that
for me, what is
really
important, the
real gift, is to
have you guys
here with me.
They hugged and
Daniel thanked
Jesus for
answering his
request,
bringing his
mother back
home. Then, with
tears in his
eyes, the boy
murmured :
- Ah! There is
nothing better
than being
together again!
...
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
30/09/2013.)
1 In Brazilian
society, Dona is
a term of
respect that is
used with the
woman's first
name.
