It was a modest village, lost among the mountains. There were not many distractions there.

Life followed its pace between study, work, domestic issues, and education of children.  A simple life where large part of the population lived from the tract of the land.

Perhaps for this reason, time or another, the boys invented some jokes to break the ones they considered the monotony.

Once, they have decided to elect, among the young boys, who the strongest was.

Soon three tall and muscular young guys enrolled. Accustomed to hard work, they had the muscles forged daily.

The people gathered to watch the dispute. The first young boy presented himself, went over a tree and using his strength, knocked it down.

The exclamation was general. How strong he was!

The second one, however, proved to be confident and, without spending greater effort than the first, knocked two trees down.

The people vibrated. This one was stronger!

But, the third boy, without letting himself get upset by what had done the first and second, prepared himself and soon there were three trees down.

General ovation. Yells of exclamation. Cheering for one and the other.

Then, the judge chosen for that dispute, a man whose years had given him wisdom, called for silence.

He went over a tree which was still standing and broke a small branch. Then, he stood right in the middle of the square and said:

Those who take this branch that I have in my hands and can get it right back where it was, so that it may continue receiving the sap and blossom and bear fruits, this one will be the strongest.

And, facing the general astonishment, continued: Destroying is very easy. You can topple, in a few minutes, whatever others have built, to the cable of great perseverance and labor or what had taken nature years to form.

This does not mean being strong. The real strong is the one who builds where ever he is. Because building requires effort, preparation and dedication.

The seed to become tree must win the dark pit where it is placed, sticking out, at the same time that it needs to lengthen the roots, in order to have a firm base.

After, it must face the winds, the rain, the hail, the changes of temperature, the slightly sun burns, to lazy around and grow, dress itself of leaves and fruits.

It takes a long time. But, as you have seen, to destroy, a concentrated power for a few minutes was enough.

When the wise man concluded his speech, one by one the local inhabitants were leaving, each one reflecting on the lesson received.

*   *   *

There are, in the world, deserving works, erected and sustained by devout creatures, anonymous and persevering.

A large number of men and women give themselves doing the good, every day.

They are builders of a new era, the world of the Third Millennium.

And us, have we already decided to swell the ranks of builders or are still paused only in the criticism that does not edify and only disturbs?

Let us think about it and decide.

Spiritist Moment Team, based on a story narrated
by Haroldo Dutra Dias.
August 26.2013.