October 31, 2015
November 11th – Peace
As the next few weeks go by I am shining my spotlight of awareness on PEACE and all the ways I can bring peacefulness into my life and the lives of my students.
Below are 11 things you can do to create a more peaceful world for you,your children and the planet at large.
- Send a thank you note to someone you have never thought to thank- You might thank your bus driver, teller at the bank or checkout person at the shop.
- Take a walk in silence. You can invite someone along or just go yourself. See if you can stay present to your steps and cultivate a deep sense of peace
- Drop off groceries at the foodbank and put a peaceful meal into someone’s tummy.
- Blow bubbles out into the world with your child, imagining each bubble is filled with peace and positive energy.
- Let someone go first ahead of you in a line up.
- Pick up garbage on your walk and create a beautiful, peaceful environment for creatures who live in your local habitat.
- Sit and breathe in a sense of peace for 5-10 minutes. With each in-breath feel peace and with each out-breath let go of what you no longer need to carry.
- Create a peaceful meal. Slow down and light a candle. Carefully choose ingredients and slowly prepare the food. Eat slowly and share with your family the process of this peaceful offering. You can invite others to participate in this celebratory meal.
- Thank a Veteran and attend a peace ceremony on November 11th.
- Plant flowers in a garden that symbolize peace. Look up the symbolic meaning of flowers. Some examples might be forget-me-knots, poppies, tulips, rosemary and daisies.
Have your child get out the chalk and draw a labyrinth on a large piece of sidewalk. We will use the cement entrance to the school. I have included a few photos of simple labyriths I created with students and on my own.
- Walk slowly, taking in the sights, smell and beauty of the world around you.
Resources:
I have include several books I enjoy reading to my students. I hope you find them peaceful and inspiring.
The Children’s Book Of Peace, by Jolene Delisa
Peace One Day, by Jeremy Gilley
Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson
The Peace Book, by Todd Parr
What Does Peace Feel Like, by Vladimir Radinsky
Talk Peace, by Sam Williams