Meena Mangalathil:

Chapter - 2 “Rafael, what did Alfonso see?” “He saw a dismembered body of a man, with full consciousness.” “You mean, the legs and hands cut off?” “Exactly” “Oooo….h my God. But Rafael, why should Alfonso be shocked at seeing this sight? He usually kills people?” “Well, Alfonso never killed people, Monica. He would never harm anyone in the process of looting. He usually locks them in a room and takes off their valuables but if there is surplus food and water, they would take some and. they never attacked cruise ships. They targeted only cargo ships.” “That’s a relief.” All nodded. “Then what happened?” “He immediately called the other crew members and they all arrived quickly. Sanjo lighted his torch and lighted all the lamps. Since these people knew, the basic first aid, they immediately got to work, first placing the sick man in a safe and comfortable place, as he had to wait till the current situation is rectified.” All nodded “Ra

Chapter - 1 “Rafael, I would like to become an astronaut, what should I do?” All smiled. “Its good to have an aim in life Ajay, but there are things, first you should know before you think of a goal?” “Really, that I didn’t know.” All nodded. “Yes Mark, the best way to make you known your aim is through a story.” “Great Rafael, we are ready.” All nodded. “Once upon a time, there lived a Pirate, named Alfonso, who wanted to help the poor.” “Rafael, a pirate is a man who loots. He is not a saint and you say, he wants to help poor. Really Rafael, you have really a weird sense of imagination.” All smiled. “Thanks for the compliment, Mark. But it is true, this pirate wanted to help the poor, but circumstances forced him to loot. So he had been looting from age 12. He was never able to get out of this web. Every sleeping hour and the waking hour, the first thought was help the poor.” “But Rafael, in water, where is the poor, except the people

(63) “Rafael, tomorrow is International Woman’s Day and we have celebrations in our school. Since you are a man, what do you think of this celebration? Is it really necessary?” “ Well Monica, that’s a good thought to have. I’ll say a story, where you’d know, what difference it makes.” All nodded. “Once upon a time, there was a tree which bore fruits abundantly.” All nodded. “But the speciality of the tree was , it bore several types of fruits.” “Rafael, that’s extending our imagination to a no man’s land.” All smiled. “I know Mathew, anyway hear it.” All nodded. “No problem, Rafael, go on.” “OK Thanks. So to the story. Since this tree had several fruits, everyone was attracted to it and the people of the village took the seed of the tree. So that they could have the same tree, in their own yard, front or back.” “But there is one confusion Rafael, it has several fruits, then which would produce the tree which bears the whole lot of fruits?”

(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?”

  (44) “The most coveted sense organ of a living being is the skin, where we get the sense of touch. It has a very big role in not only bringing the sense of feeling to the body but also to our very being.” All nodded. “Yes you’re right Rafael, I really do spend a lot of time in front of the mirror to make myself beautiful.” All smiled. “This part of the body has brought lots of heart aches, conflicts between people and even wars between nations. But the main issue here is, how much the skin has taken control over you.” All nodded. “Well for me, I think, it has overtaken my very being Rafael. I really cannot imagine without spending sometime making myself beautiful.” All nodded and smiled. “That’s natural. All have this tendency, Rebecca.” All nodded. “But the question is, if there is a pimple on your nose, would it affect your activities for the day?” “Definitely Rafael. I would rather take leave. I really cannot imagine everyone looking at it and lau

(43) “How are we going to say, no to beauty, Rafael?” “Its easy to be said than practiced. But just now, I’m making you aware of the troubles the five senses would create when we are under its control. When you see a delicious meal in television, naturally your mind brings the smell of it or the presenter explains it and when our ears hear it, our mind brings out the smell from memory, we feel, the food is prepared in the house and the taste buds starts to work of watering the whole mouth and naturally, the stomach is ready to have the food.” All nodded. “But alas! No food, the result, more hunger.” All nodded “Right Mark, More hunger, which means, you would never be satisfied, even if you try your level best by trying to eat with your eyes. That is what happens, if you are looking for beauty to fulfill your wish. The only way you can find beauty is, when you love your Self, which means, your soul, because you are a spiritual being, a drop of God soul, the