I have a couple friends who do the coolest thing.
They both keep a few gift cards on hand, to give to someone when they see a need.
Fast food restaurant cards to those who are obviously hungry, short on cash. You and I have all seen them with signs asking for help. Most people look away, or do not know how to respond. They are ready to reach out.
Coffee cards to someone downtown when the weather is blustery and they see someone who is cold.
To me, these are so much more than a cup of coffee or a meal. They are telling total strangers that they matter. That someone cares. That they are seen.
They are also showing the depth of their hearts and their love for people. I admire them both for taking action to brighten lives.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Happiness is...
...finding the PERFECT gift and the giddy feeling you get when you picture the person you are giving it to opening it.
I so love that feeling!
I so love that feeling!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Free Minds
One thing that is really amazing when you watch children is to realize how free they are to create. They have no preconcieved ideas of what their work is "supposed" to look like. Their little minds just take their own ideas and go with them.
Yesterday in my classroom I gave my kids each a turn with the same materials: a warm electric skillet covered in foil, white paper, and a bucket of crayons to draw/paint with. (They were more like paint as they melted). And I got to sit back and watch each of them at work. You would not think there would be so many ways to approach art with these objects.
One child wanted to see every color melted, and made dots or lines with each.
One child added layer upon layer of lines swirled together with lots of colors.
One child took two large crayons of different colors and filled just about the whole paper with them, while holding them in the same hand.
Two different children colored with a crayon in each hand at the same time.
One child started to draw a picture, and then ended up by coloring big circles with several colors.
One child filled her whole paper with lines curled around each other, but none overlapping.
One child used bright colors and then took the white crayon on top to lighten them all.
One child made a rainbow with lots of extra stripes of color.
Amazing, isn't it? The many ways they tackled the same project. Their minds freely going in various directions.
It just makes me wonder what, as adults, we would do with our world if we could just BE, no worries about what others thoughts were, no worries about how our lives, our choices are supposed to look.
Yesterday in my classroom I gave my kids each a turn with the same materials: a warm electric skillet covered in foil, white paper, and a bucket of crayons to draw/paint with. (They were more like paint as they melted). And I got to sit back and watch each of them at work. You would not think there would be so many ways to approach art with these objects.
One child wanted to see every color melted, and made dots or lines with each.
One child added layer upon layer of lines swirled together with lots of colors.
One child took two large crayons of different colors and filled just about the whole paper with them, while holding them in the same hand.
Two different children colored with a crayon in each hand at the same time.
One child started to draw a picture, and then ended up by coloring big circles with several colors.
One child filled her whole paper with lines curled around each other, but none overlapping.
One child used bright colors and then took the white crayon on top to lighten them all.
One child made a rainbow with lots of extra stripes of color.
Amazing, isn't it? The many ways they tackled the same project. Their minds freely going in various directions.
It just makes me wonder what, as adults, we would do with our world if we could just BE, no worries about what others thoughts were, no worries about how our lives, our choices are supposed to look.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Baby Love
A wonderful co-worker of mine was blessed with two new grandbabies during the past 5 months.
First, I have to say that she is the most wonderful Grandma you could wish for your children to have. She has 3 grandchildren before the addition of the two newest and you can tell that they are the light of her life.
I wish I could describe the joy on her face when she talks about the newest babies. It is so wonderful to see her love for them.
They are very blessed kiddos to have her. But the most heartwarming part is how she doesn't hide the fact with her words and actions that feels she is the one who is blessed.
First, I have to say that she is the most wonderful Grandma you could wish for your children to have. She has 3 grandchildren before the addition of the two newest and you can tell that they are the light of her life.
I wish I could describe the joy on her face when she talks about the newest babies. It is so wonderful to see her love for them.
They are very blessed kiddos to have her. But the most heartwarming part is how she doesn't hide the fact with her words and actions that feels she is the one who is blessed.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Little Jedi
I was reminded by someone I love dearly that I have not posted in a very long time, which prompted me to come back and re-read some of my posts.
It made me smile, and sometimes tear up as well, to read about some of the moments I had written. Then I wondered how many moments I have forgotten because I didn't write about them, and now wish I had. So I am back.
Today, a print by James Hance that I absolutely adore. This is so my Nathan. Pulling on his Jedi gear with his buddy Chewbacca, getting ready to take on the bad guys.
It made me smile, and sometimes tear up as well, to read about some of the moments I had written. Then I wondered how many moments I have forgotten because I didn't write about them, and now wish I had. So I am back.
Today, a print by James Hance that I absolutely adore. This is so my Nathan. Pulling on his Jedi gear with his buddy Chewbacca, getting ready to take on the bad guys.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)