A MENINA QUE VIU DEUS (HENRIQUE KOMATSU)

Ao Pedro,

Para que duvide com honestidade e para que creia no que v com os olhos da alma.

There is, on the Pacific Ocean, an island. Made of two mountains. It is like someone put together, glued, two loads of earth in the middle of the ocean. The biggest one is called Tristeza (Sadness), and the smallest, Alegria (Happiness).

Years ago, Alegria used to be taller than Tristeza. An earthquake made part of Alegria roll down and sink in the ocean, leaving the mountain the way it is nowadays.Nobody knows if this is really true.

The truth is that on the bottom of the mountains, exactly where they meet each other, Tristeza and Alegria, is where a girl, called Aletia, and her grandma live.

Aletia and her grandma are like the mountains: two people that are always together.

Today Aletia is shorter than her grandma; but in a couple of years, no one knows until when, Aleteia will wake up and will be taller than the grandma.

Aleteia will grow and, I guess when this day arrive, they will still be together. Like the mountains of that islands.

One day Aleteia asked her grandma: Grandma, who made the world?, and her grandmother answered: God.

All of it?

Yes, entirely.

Alone?

Yes, completely alone.

Aleteia went out of the room thinking about that conversation. She wasnt really convinced. She thought about that a lot. To think better, she went on a walk around the island. Thinking alone and in out loud voice, she started to share her thoughts with the things that showed up on her way: leaves, trees, rocks, ants, crickets and etc.

Have God created the world alone?

After discussing with the rocks, with the trees, with the river and with the frogs of the island. Aleteia said to her grandma:

Its a lie. God didnt do the world.

The grandmother was startled: And why do you think that?

Because God doesnt exist. answered the girl.

No?.

No..

And how do you know that?.

I dont see him anywhere, and Ive been looking everywhere.

Not a clue?

The grandmother thought for a while and asked: (If you see him, will you belive?

- Yes. answered Aleteia , because kids Always want to belive in beautiful things, since they make some sense.

- So, tomorrow Ill take you to see God..

As soon as she listened to these words, the girls face brightened..

Is that true grandma?

Yes.

Do you promiss?

Yes, I promiss.

Aleteia almost couldnt sleep thinking about how God would look like, his face, his hair. She thought that he maybe wasnt human, he was an animal, but it was too crazy. Probably he has grizzly hair and big beard. She imagined him with lots of arms and hands and fingers to be able to build everything that exists in the world. God certainly has wings and can fly. Maybe he has eyes in his backand in his hands to take care of everything, always.

Aleteia wants to know how was Gods voice, because she was anxious to make him some questions.

She imagined everything (mundos e fundos) until she fall asleep.

The next day she woke up really early. And your grandmother asked her: Are you ready to see God?.

Yes!.

So, lets go the grandmother hurry her up we have to climb up the mountain..

Which one? Aleteia wanted to know because she was a little lazy, and she didnt want to be climbing up mountains.

The Tristeza.

Right the big one? Why dont we climb Alegria?

Simply because from the top of Tristeza, we can see the entire Alegria, but from the top of Alegria we can just see a side of Tristeza. Shall we go now? God is waiting.

Aleteia didnt really understand the explanation, but she followed her grandmother, and they started to climb up the mountain.

Right after the first steps, her grandmother asked her: What is Alegrias color?

Aleteia lokked at the mountain. It was already early, it was a little cold, and the mountain was covered by a dense fog, moreover, how the sun wasnt a way up in the sky the shadow of Tristeza covered Alegria completely. So, the girls answered:

It is white and gray.

The grandmother agreed and they kept climbing.

They walked for hours and, slowly the fog was dissipating. Alegria still under Tristezas shadow when Aleteias grandmother asked: And now, what is color of the mountain?

The girls looked at Alegria and saw that it was blueish:

Its blue..

The grandmother agreed, and they kept climbing.

At this point Aleteia was tired: When will we see God?.

When we arrive at the top. Be patient. said the grandma.

But kids are always impatient, because its not easy to learn to wait. The girl wanted to give up, but was far too curious for it.

The grandmother kept climbing up. Although her age, she looked like so much more willing and full of energy than the young granddaughter. That is why there is a idiom which says: The willingness moves mountains.. It is not the youth, or the strength, but the willingness

They walked until the Sun got out behind Tristeza e brightened Alegria. And one more time, the grandmother asked Aleteia: What color is Alegrias color?

The mountain, covered by forest, now was green, totally green.

Aleteia was a little sick of those questions about colors, but answered: Its green grandma, the mountain is green now.

The grandmother agreed and they started to walk again.

The day was getting hot quickly, so both thought it was better to stop for a while and eat.

Grandma, what is God doing way up there?

The same he does everywhere.

If he does the same things everywhere, why do we need to climb up Tristeza?.

For you see better..

And why do you ask me all the time the color of Alegria?.

To you get your eyes accustumated.

Aleteia finally stoped making questions and ate her lunch. She thought maybe God was colorful.

It was already after noon when they started to walk again. And one more time the grandmother asked: What is the color of Alegria?

Now with the sun on the top of the sky, the collors were clear

it still green. that was Aleteias answer.

And how many tons of green can you see?.

Aleteia stopped, payed attention around, and saw that there were plenty of tons of green covering Alegria. Light green, almost white, yellowish green, orangish green, blueish green, redish green, dark green, brownish greenthere were so many tons of green that her brain got really confsed.

The little girl had never noticed how the colors changed, and how they were so different during the day.

Grandaugthe and grandmother got on the top of the mountain in the end of the evening. Right there, the grandmother asked what color Alegria was.

The sun was setting down, and Aleteia saw that the mountain was redish.

The grandmother agreed.

Aleteia seeing that they were alone up there on Tristeza, asked: Grandma, Where is God?

Before I show him to you, you have to answer me one more thing.

What is it?

What is the real color of Alegria?

I dont know she said it depends of the time of the day.

So, what is the color of the day?

Aleteia didnt know the answer, because the day dont have any color, but it has all the colors too.

God is like the day said the grandma We dont see, but because of it we see everything else around, because it is everywhere, showing us everything.

Aleteia understood: God is light. Not just th sunlight, but the light of the soul and the heart.

The night came, and Aleteia could see God in each star while was watching the starry sky.

Her grandmother fulfilled the promise and the girl, now, belive that the world was made by God.

In the next morning they climbed down Tristea and they could see all Alegria.