Cristiano and a Lesson on Humility

Once, not so very long ago, there was a 12-year-old boy named Cristiano. He liked eating fresh fish because he grew up on an island and he liked talking with his friend Voz. He could talk with him about anything. Yet what he absolutely loved was playing football. Boy, oh boy did he love football!

He was training at a special academy for football in Lisbon. It was far away from his family and he missed them terribly. He was really homesick and it was difficult for him to be alone. Luckily he had a secret he’d brought from home: Voz, his home-made ball that could speak!

Voz helped him train and encouraged him to do his best. He listened to Cristiano as he complained.

“Nothing’s the same here, Voz! The boys don’t make as much fun of me because I’m getting a lot better - but I hate going to school! It’s boring. I could be training instead. One day, I’m going to be the best footballer ever!”

“Home will always be there,” Voz would reply. “But they won’t let you stay here if you don’t go to the classes. Those are the rules. This is an opportunity for you to learn and to train more, to become better.”

“I hate rules,” Cristiano would reply in a grumble.

The months went on, and he was still unhappy, but at least now he had some friends. The boys had seen him improve so much that they admired him. His coaches were also impressed. But you know who wasn’t impressed? His teachers.

He’d go to the classes and not pay attention. Instead of doing his homework, he’d climb out of his window and sneak into the gym to do more weight lifting. Instead of studying, he’d create inventive ways to…