Whenever she
left the house,
Carminha liked
to walk through
different
places, see new
things and
wonder at what
she saw. One
day, walking
around as she
liked to do, she
sought a poorer
neighbourhood to
see if it was
different from
the others. She
saw many
children playing
in the streets,
running around
and having fun.
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She was
surprised by
that because
despite their
poverty they
were happy! The
houses were
poor, ugly, some
were falling
apart, but the
children and
adults were
happy. Carminha
then stopped to
talk to one of
them:
- I do not know
this
neighbourhood,
but I see that
everyone here is
smiley and
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happy! |
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The girl, whose
name was Adelia
smiled and
replied:
- You are right.
Here we are all
happy!
- How come? What
is the reason?
It would be
normal to be
sad!
Adelia agreed
with her,
explaining:
- That is true,
Carminha. Some
time ago people
were different
as they were sad
and angry. That
was until aunt
Cota got sick.
After that, we
all changed.
Curious,
Carminha wanted
to meet the lady
who had changed
the people in
the
neighbourhood,
and Adelia took
her to aunt
Cota's house,
then left
saying:
- Step in
without
knocking. Here
there is no one
to answer the
door.
Carminha entered
and then heard a
cheerful voice
from the bedroom
saying,
- Welcome!
More lively,
Carminha entered
the room and saw
a lady in a bed.
- Hello! Good
morning, madam!
I am sorry to
come in without
knocking...
The lady smiled,
telling her to
come forward.
- My name is
Carminha. You
are aunt Cota, I
am told. How are
you? Are you
sick?
With a beautiful
smile, the lady
replied:
- I'm not sick,
Carminha. I just
cannot walk,
move my arms and
legs. But I
speak very well
and like to
talk!
- But how did
you get this
way, aunt Cota?
- asked the
girl, penalised.
- It's a long
story, Carminha.
I used to be
miserable.
Nothing was good
for me; I had
everything and
at the same
time, nothing
interested me. I
was always
fighting with
everyone and
complaining
about my
situation. Until
I noticed I was
alone! No one
would approach
me, not even my
family. So, I
decided to
change my life.
I made the
decision to be
happy and work
on it! I would
be the happiest
person in the
world!
- But how? -
asked the girl,
full of pity.
- How? Making my
life happy! So,
I put on my head
that if my body
was paralysed,
my mind wasn’t.
I began to
change. Whenever
someone came to
visit me I would
show them joy,
tell them a
funny story and
we would laugh a
lot.
- And where did
you get those
stories?
- I created them
myself and
always had new
stories to tell.
Thus, people
started to
approach me
again when they
noticed that I
did not complain
about anything
(no one likes
complaints).
Thus, they began
to visit me and
now it's rare
for me to be
alone. I always
have someone to
talk to!
- That's great!
But how do you
do it?
- Using a lot of
joy! When I have
no stories to
tell, I sing! As
people bring me
lots of food, I
share it with
whoever comes to
visit me;
someone will
make tea which
we will have
with cookies,
eat candy or
savoury treats…
Here we lack
nothing! Check
it out, can you
hear it? There
are people
coming.
- Come on, my
friends! Get in!
What a pleasure
to welcome you!
And four young
men and women
brought their
smiley faces
into the room.
- Ah! I knew it
was you! Come
in! Welcome!
And Carminha,
wide-eyed,
smiled and
asked:
- But how did
you know who
they were, aunt
Cota?
- Because I know
each one’s
footsteps. My
dears! This is
Carminha, a new
friend who
arrived today.
Now, who will
make some tea?
- No, aunt Cota!
Today we brought
some juice that
Mary made. It is
delicious! And
Rosa baked a
chocolate cake
that must be
great!
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- Didn’t I tell
you, Carminha? I
am never alone!
I always have
company, thank
God!
The girl had the
snack that was
offered, then
one of the boys
played the
guitar and they
sang
beautifully.
Carminha was
thrilled as ever
in her life. She
said goodbye to
aunt Cota,
saying that she
would return
with her mother,
so she could
also meet her.
As she was
leaving she saw
Adelia, the girl
who had brought
her to aunt Cota
and thanked her
for taking her
to the house of
that lady.
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|
When she arrived
home, Carminha
was a different
person. She was
happier, more
willing and more
helpful. Her
mother,
surprised,
asked: |
- Carminha,
where have you
been until now?
What is
happening to
you, honey?
With tears in
her eyes the
girl replied:
- You know, Mom,
today I learned
about the value
of joy in
people's lives!
And I will take
you to a house
which you will
never forget.
I'm sure that
she will change
your life as she
changed mine!
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
31/08/2015.)
