Once upon a time, an eleven year old boy would go fishing whenever possible. Each time he could, he would go to the a river located close to his family’s chale. It was located le tinha onze anos e, a cada oportunidade que surgia, ia pescar no cais próximo ao chalé da família, numa ilha que ficava em meio a um lago.          Fishing season was only going to start on the following day, but his father and him decided to catch some fishes on that day. The boy started fishing at the lake. He could see the moon reflected on it.

         He soon was able to feel something. He caught something quite big. His father was quite impressed by his son’s ability to pull the fish out of the water. The fish was much bigger than expected; they never saw such a big fish in this river. The fishing season allowed them to catch it but only at the right time of the year.

         The father and the boy looked at it; it was moving beautifully. His father then looked at his watch and realised that it was around 10pm. They would still have to wait to hours for the fishing season to start…

         He soon looked at his son and said:

         - You need to take it back to the water, my son!

         - But dad.... The boy complained.

         - There will be another one, the father insisted.

         - It will be difficult for us to find a fish this size; the boy said.

         The child looked around the lake. There were no fishermen or boats around. He looked back at his father.

         Even if no one was around, he knek this was not negotiable. His dad would not change his mind. He then decided to take the fish back to the water. It suddenly disappeared through the dark.

         It was at this moment the boy realised he would never catch a fish that size. This happened thirty four years ago. That boy is now a very successful architect.

         The house is still located at the same place. He now takes his children back to the same spot he used to fish with his father.

         His intuition was correct since he was never able to catch another fish that size. Therefore, he now sees the same fish in his mind every time he needs to make an ethical judgment.

         This is because his father thought him that ethics is simply a matter of RIGHT or WRONG choices. One thing to be considered is when you act correctly because you are being observed.

         Ethics involved acting correctly even when no one is watching us. This type of behaviour is only possible when, as a child, you learn to return the FISH BACK TO THE WATER.

         Good education is just like a golden coin:

         IT IS VALUED EVERYWHERE.

This was taken from the book The Urban Coyote: Howlings on Family, Community and the Search for Peace and Quiet (by James P. Lenfestey)