We make a living by what we get-
we make a life by what we give!
~W.Churchill
In today's
Children's Day article we want to share a self written story that parents and children gave
to their class teacher as farewell gift. Farewell gifts for teachers are common
when children leave school, but this time it was an especially meaningful,
emotional moving gift, which includes a special MJ-touch. Instead of a short speech
with some words of thanks one parent wrote a story about love and read it on
the last day at the farewell ceremony. It remains to say that the children of
this class haven´t particularly privileged parents. It´s more the opposite. Some
have to fight hard with what is called a
new social reality. Every day is a day of battlling to survive; unemployment
determines material shortages and the problems of being single parents mark their lifes. These facts make these parent´s gift even more precious.
Now the bench has its place in the teacher´s garden, where she is constantly reminded of how important it
is to spread love in a place, where most people expect cognitive
performances first.
A small unimposing
bench stood on a large meadow. Many people cavorted with friends in the meadow
- but no one sat down on the bench. People always are in a hurry and sometimes
forget the essentials and as well the small but important things in life.
One day a little
boy looked at the bench, gently caressed over the wood, sat down on the bench
and watched the people around him.
"You know, dear bench," the boy said, "people always talk about LOVE. But I don´t really know
what that means."
The wooden bench
began to creak a little and answered:
"Oh,
there are so many different kinds of LOVE, but every kind of love is made of
many; many small things.Imagine , love needs a frame that is TRUST. Trust. is
what holds everything together. "
"Trust I know! That's when I tell someone a secret and can
be sure that he doesn´t pass it on. Or if you're scared and you have no doubts
that you are helped."
"Yes, that is TRUST. But there are still many, many things,
all of which sum up to something very big."
"The Love?" the boy asked.
"Yes, right. Love is
there, where people encourage each other ... and care."
"Oh, I don´t like
caring! Always cleaning up the room!"
The bench corrected
amused : "No, caring is when someone cares
about you and cares for you."
"Oh, I see.Yes, then I do know that, too!"
"Sometimes a dispute can also be love. Most important,
however, is the reconciliation after a disput."
The child
interrupted: "At school, we argue and our
teacher always says, we may disagree, but we should not be at odd with our
classmates.And after we have been at strife, she helps us to meet again. Please
continue, dear bench, what there is more than this to love. "
"When you are sad or grief you need SUPPORT and SOLACE.
FRIENDSHIP, TOLERANCE and ACCEPTANCE are also parts of LOVE. To SHARE JOY with
each other and especially ENJOY each other is important."
"Uhmm ... Our teacher showed us that everyone is special,
no matter how he looks or what he is good at. It is important to like others
the way they are -and to appreciate them
just because they are different."
"More small little things," the bench continued,
"which make up the love, are: GENEROSITY, UNDERSTANDING, ATTENTION and EMPATHY. Also, HELP, WARMTH and INTENTIONAL
SELF-LIMINTATION are important."
"Yes, that's right!" the boy shouted. "Well, if I have not done my homework, my teacher doesn´t have that
much understanding, but otherwise, she helps us whenever we haven´t understood
something, she always listens if we have personal problems and sometimes she dispenses for us her leisure time. But that´s something we
children do as well for her. "
The bank noted:
“I think you knew what LOVE is before, you just weren´t
aware all the many names for love! "
"I think so too, but I´m no dictionary. Is there more to
love than that?"
"There is something else: LOYALTY and TENDERNESS! And most
of all is to love even LET GO, even though it is very difficult!"
The boy just sat
there in silence, thinking. Then he concluded:
"In
our class we are helped and comforted, we are
encouraged, we have fun, we share
everything and we trust each other. All the things related to love, I
have already experienced at school - and at
home. I think our teacher really loves us because she let us go very soon,
although she would like to stay us."
And suddenly
something changed with the bench. Magically by and by the names of the
classmates the boy had spoken of appeared on the backrest.
The bench said to
the astonished boy:
"In your class is so much LOVE. Take me to your school. I'm helping
your teacher to remember .... and you are helping me to finally be used.."
*
