The young mother stood next to her son's bed. What she most desired was that he would grow up and fulfill his dreams, however, leukemia was killing her beloved son.

She recalled that, one day, he had told her that when he grew up he would like to be a fireman.

She decided then to go the local Fire Brigade, in Phoenix, Arizona, and explain her son's situation. She spoke to a fireman called Bob, who was a man of good heart.

Would it be possible, she asked, for my six-year-old son to have a drive in a fire engine? I'm sure that just going around the block would make him happy.

We can do much more than that, answered Bob. If you get your son ready for seven o'clock next Wednesday, we will make him an honorable fireman for the day. He will be able to come with us to our headquarters, eat with us, and even go along with us in our fire calls.

If you take his measurements we will get him a real fireman outfit, with a hat, an emblem from our team, a yellow coat like the one we wear and a pair of boots.

Three days later, Bob came to pick Billy up. The boy put on the new fireman outfit and was escorted from the hospital bed to the fire engine. Then he sat down at the back of the truck and was taken to the headquarters.

He was very, very happy. He went along with them on the three calls that happened on that day; went out in the fire engine, in the paramedics van and in the firemen chief's special car.

He even came out on the local TV news. His dream was fulfilled, and he was so satisfied that he survived for three months more than what the doctors expected.

One night, a nurse called Billy's family into hospital. He was dying.

She remembered the tour with the firefighters, and decided to call them and ask if there was a fireman that could pay him a last visit. Billy would certainly be very happy.

The firemen chief answered: We can do a lot more than that.

We will be there in five minutes. When you hear the sirens and see our lights, inform on the speakers of the hospital it is not a fire. It is just the Fire Brigade coming to visit, once more, one of their most distinguished members. And please, open the window of his room.

A van and a fire engine arrived at the hospital five minutes later, and put the ladder by the boy's window. Sixteen firemen went up the ladder, through the bedroom window, with his mother's permission, hugged, and greeted the best fireman from that team.

Billy gave a shy smile and asked: Am I really a fireman?

And, having a smiling affirmative answer from the fireman chief, Billy closed his eyes for the last time.

*   *   *

Our Master from Nazareth has thought us: If a man obligates you to take a thousand steps, go with him for another two thousand. When he takes your mantle away, do not stop him from taking you tunic as well.

Let's think about it and ask ourselves how we have been answering to the requests of our friends, our children, our family and the community in general.

What if we start to put into practice the statement: Can I do more than what you have asked me to do?

Spiritist Moment Team, from the article O homem de boa vontade sempre faz mais, from Ary Brasil Marques, published at the newspaper Correio Fraterno do ABC, in December of 2000.
March 10.2011.