42- Father, My Colleague Lies

On her first day in University, this girl returned from school and was continuously crying. Her father and brothers tried to find out the reason but they could not. It was only her first day in university and they could not imagine why she was crying. Finally, after huge efforts till 11 PM she said to her father, “Guess What!”

“What happened dear?”

“Can you imagine that I saw one of my colleagues lying?”

The father was astonished of his daughter’s lack of experience to the extent that she thinks that no one ever lies. The father gathered his children and said to them, “Tell me what to do? Your sister was crying all day because she saw a young man lying. How can she survive in this world?”

Well, she survived; she got married and she succeeded in her profession as a teacher as well as being a good wife. Moreover, she had her positive impact on many either at her school or among her friends and loved ones.

I remember when I was visiting her while she was suffering the cruel pains of cancer in addition to being hemi-plegia. She said to me, “Why are you visiting me? I’m fine. Visit the youngsters as they’re more in need of your care than me.”

It was with this spirit that Fawzaia the simple hearted lived.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: شاب يكذب يا بابا!

Create in me a Clean Heart

O’ Lord grant me a pure heart,

So that I may see everyone pure,

So that I may not imagine any person crooked or lying,

But to see everyone in You

And love the salvation of all.

Grant me tears so that I would weep over our human weaknesses,

And a big heart so that I may not ask for condolence for myself

But salvation and escalation for every soul.

A Big Smile at the Altar

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Condolences in Advance