A roman legend says that on the 2nd century BC there was a roman matron called Cornelia who had two sons.

        One day, the boys were playing in the garden when their mother called them and said she had a friend coming for dinner that evening.  Her friend was very rich and was coming to show them her jewellery.

        When the woman arrived, the boys could not get their eyes away from the rings she wore in her fingers, the bracelets, the gold chains she had around her neck and the pearl strings she wore in her hair.

        They looked at their mother, who wore a white tunic with no ornaments and had her hair coiled into two simple plaits.

        A servant brought a box and put it on the table. The boys were really surprised when the woman showed them rubies as red as blood, sapphires as blue as the sky, emeralds as green as the sea, and diamonds that shone in the sun.

        The smallest child said: It would be so nice if mother could have some of these stones or one of these jewels.

        Looking at Cornelia with pity, the woman asked:

        Is it true that you don’t have any jewels? Are you that poor?

        Without blinking, the hostess answered: No, that is not true. I have jewels much more valuable than yours!

        The two brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, looked at each other. Was it possible that their mother had jewels and they did not know about them? Maybe she had a secret safe. Would they be so valuable that she could not wear them, being afraid of thieves?

        Cornelia came close to her sons, hugged them while smiling and said: These are my jewels. Aren’t they much more precious than your stones?

* * *

        Our children are real precious stones. Some are rough stones needing to be cut and polished; others show the fine jewellery work of time, the refining work of other lives.

        How many of us realize the treasure we own? How many times we prefer the illusions of the world instead of being with our little ones?

        How many times do we prefer to sit in front of the television, let the years go by and allow our treasures to grow up without the attention and tenderness they deserve!

        Is there anything more precious than the smile of a child? Than a generous hug? Than a caress done on our faces by warm little hands?

        Let us look after our little ones, the rare jewels God trusted us for a brief period of time. Let us not miss the opportunities to be with them, to feel them, to love them.

        From all the treasures of the Universe, love is the most valuable.

* * *

        Cornelia was the mother of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, who became statesmen of Rome.

        When the roman people erected statues for the two brothers, they never forgot to pay tributes to the woman who taught them how to be wise and gentle.

Spiritist Moment Team,  based on Roman legend from 2nd century b.C.
March 31 2008.