Meena Mangalathil:

(56) “Rafael, there is one thing I would like to ask. What happens if I hurt my parents?” All nodded. “That’s a good thought, Monica. It really would have an impact on you, for sure. Why not a story?” All nodded. "Once there was a  rag picker. She had only one child, a son. Her husband had passed away and there was no trade she knew. So she joined with a reliable family of rag pickers and they were glad to take her into their fold. They made a small separate tattered tent on the foot path in a very big city. She woke up very early before the town’s people woke up and went to scavenge in the garbage.” “Its like early bird catches the prey, isn’t it Rafael?” “Right Mathew. But she left her child in the tent and collected some two to three bags full before morning and returned by skylight. Then she took her bath and prepared the food for her son and woke him up.” “But Rafael, I thought these rag pickers were not clean.” “Don’t under estimate their

(55) “Rafael, I have a problem in my school. One of my teachers is very partial. She always finds reasons to fire me. I really hate to go to school and especially the day when I have mathematics, and that is everyday,” “Yes, Rafael, its true, Mark always gets firing from her. I too hate her. Why can’t she hold her tongue. She should think na, that she is a teacher and be impartial?” Rafael nodded. “Yes Mark, its indeed a grievous issue. I’ll say a story. So that you understand the science behind scolding.” “Once in a small village, there lived a boy who loved fun. He would do anything to have fun. So before that I’d like to ask, for you guys, what does fun mean?” “To ride my two wheeler, to my heart’s content, until they raise their eyebrows and nod their heads, to be with my friends, skip classes and go for movies and just do what the elders say no.” The boys smiled and the girls sighed and nodded. “Good , now what about girls?” “Well, no class skippi

(54) “The next worst enemy of  a human being is his complex.” “You mean to say the superiority and inferiority complex?” “The very same, Mathew. We should know one thing, In this world, there is no one superior except for God and no one inferior, except who does wrong.” “Rafael, do you mean to say that when someone does any wrong, they become inferior? "Right. We are not here in this world as human beings but as spiritual beings so naturally,  when we are spiritual beings, do you know who is high caste or low caste?” All nodded in the negative. “Good, what about beautiful and ugly?” All nodded in the negative “The saint and a sinner?” All nodded in the negative. “Wrong, you will know.” “Really? How?” “That is the only differentiation in our spiritual life.” “How about a story?” All nodded. “Years back, there was a saint, who lived on the face of this Earth, very famous and well loved by all. At the same time, there was a drun

(53) “Rafael, who is this new boy?” “Well guys, meet your new companion, Ajay. He has been included in your team. Mark, do you mind introducing your friends to Ajay? ” “Sure Rafael” smiling Mark shook hands with Ajay, “Welcome Ajay, I’m Mark and this is Mathew, this is Monica and Rebecca.” All shook hands smiling.” “Now to the topic at hand, “ Be truthful ”, it helps clear your way to reach your destination.” “Really? How? What difference does it make in our lives, Rafael?” “Good question Mathew, why don’t we start with a story?” All nodded. “Once there was a lady named Teresa,  who was very talented in talking. She was so good at it, that she attracted others to her by her conversations. She spoke so lovingly and understandingly that she knew what others wanted to hear, for the young, about love, for the middle aged, others fault, but mostly it was lies but no one was aware of it.” “Oh!!!!!! Just imagine, when they come to know that she is a liar?”

(52)  “It is important to do good first to your own self, then naturally it would turn out good for others.” “How is that possible Rafael? Its above my understanding.” Rafael nodded.  “Good question Mathew” “I’ll say a story.” All nodded, “There was once a boy who used to always say lies.” “Yuck!!!!!!! That’s terrible.” “Well for him, he didn’t feel anything, it was normal. So for very silly matters too he used to say lies. But the people around him understood, he is not reliable. They never believed what he said.” “That’s natural Rafael. For sure, I’ll never believe him.” All nodded. “Yes Monica, no one would. And there was one more thing that he had along with that. He would say what he felt, he doesn’t care whether it would hurt people or not. For him it was all a joke.” “Oh how terrible.” “Hmmm. And above all, he didn’t care others feelings too.” “Rafael, is he a human being or something else?” “Well, he is just like us, hum