1) "I don't know" or "nothing"
2) Things we're thankful for in a logical, mental way
3) Things for which we have heart felt appreciation and gratitude
I'm not knocking #2, but what's more interesting to me is #3. Sometimes I think we don't know how or don't get around to recognizing those things. Sometimes thanks can seem a bit of an abstract concept.
How might we recognize things for which we are thankful? How might we foster deeper appreciation for things we're only logically thankful for? Here are some ideas I'd like to try out more.
- Notice when your kids spontaneously say thanks - beyond the obligatory times. What is it they're appreciating? What are they saying thanks for?
- Notice when you say thanks - the matter of course times and the intentional times. What are you appreciating? What are you saying thanks for?
- Notice what you or your kids really enjoy.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Try playing games that facilitate thinking and talking about the things we like. For example, we have a game called Whoonu that involves players guessing what among several things another player likes best. That player then ranks the things guessed by the other players to be their favorite.
- Make a game of tracing things taken for granted back through the long processes by which they come to us and back to their origins
I'd be interested in your thoughts on the topic, and what happens if you try some of the approaches above.
1 comment:
Hey, monica,
You have touched my personal button and give me a chance to say somethings that I relate to. As a trained artist I look at research as a challange that takes me outside of the perceived subject. You might say I do it my way.
One of my favorite writers is Madeleine L'Engle. She is very clear in that one is not a spiritual or Christian writer, but the art can carry the spirit. That is very different. She has a book called "Ladder of Angels" in which she writes about old testament stories that have been illustrated by children of Jerusalem. Not stilted, not boring, but expressionful. And the Bible is story . . .
Sister Wendy writes beautifully and gently about the Nativity. You would not want to read all of her words to small children (maybe) but the old art is rich and the stories have wonderful connections.
Jacob Lawrence wrote the story of "Harriet and the Promised Land" about the life of Harriet Tubman. Spare poetry and wonderful pictures.
The Christmas Alphabet" book by Robert Sabuda is a wonderful pop-up book with all of the Christmas elements, both sacred and celebratory but not many words. Good for sharing, I think.
And then there is Maya Angelou's "Life Doesn't Frighten Me . . ."
Well maybe I go a litte far afield, but there is real inspiration in these books from my personal library, and you may use them if they will help.
We can get together and talk about them and art for and by children.
janE
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