Angel And Demon

Few days ago I was giving a talk to a group of specially selected students. While talking about good and bad behavior, I told them a story which I would like to share with you here.

A new supermarket came out with an idea of promoting its business. Since it was the end-of-year festive season the company decided to find a young teenager to play the role of an angel, distributing pamphlets in front of the supermarket. A young, healthy, energetic and pleasant looking boy was selected among many candidates who turned up for the selection. Having played the role of an angel fittingly well for a month, the boy was paid and he left the job when the new school term started.

Few years later, the same supermarket came out with a novel idea to attract crowd. The management wanted to create a mini ghost house to attract more youngsters to its premises. A teenager was selected among many who turned up during the selection process. This boy fitted the picture of a demon that most people could imagine with little difficulty. However, in the midst of his job in the ghost house, he felt very remorseful. While the crying was supposed to be part of his job to make him look more like hungry ghost, his was very genuine. To the shock of the management of the supermarket, he revealed that he was the same boy who acted as the angel few years ago. In a short span of a few years, due to lack of self-discipline he allowed himself to be degraded into a shameful existence.

I used this story to remind my audience how they could on their own determine their future, whether to be an angel or a demon. They have to decide which road to choose-the one leading to a bright future which may be long and winding or the short cut to well, .....'hell' (open to interpretation and may be controversial). Others could only guide, remind, warn or even appeal.