Love for All Creatures

In today's session the elementary children learned about the third Unitarian Universalist Source, expressed in children's language as "the ethical and spiritual wisdom of the world's religions."  We learned what Hinduism teaches us about reverence for life and living without harming animals.  We heard a Hindu story about the god, Ganesha, whose mother takes the form of a cat without his knowledge.  Ganesha chases and torments the cat without thinking, believing he is "playing", only to learn upon returning home that he actually had been tormenting his own mother.  We also thought about ways that animals communicate without words.

Explore the topic together as a family:  Talk about animals your family has contact with and how they communicate.  Encourage your child to be a scientific observer, watching animals and noting their behaviors in various situations.  Seek out opportunities to observe many different creatures, preferably uncaged animals in their natural settings.  Always be careful and respectful of an animal's territory!  Visit a 4-H show or a farm to observe domesticated animals  Visit an animal shelter or wildlife rehabilitation center.  You might want to explore the idea of serving as a foster family for a homeless dog or cat.

Create a family ritual:  As a family, create a blessing or prayer for animals.  List your hopes and wishes for the animals of your acquaintance, as well as the animals of the world.  This can be a nice alternative to a mealtime grace, or bedtime prayers.

Love and Gratitude

Today's elementary level from the curriculum LOVE WILL GUIDE US focused on our sixth Unitarian Universalist Source of beliefs, expressed in children's language as "the harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life."  We heard a winter solstice story in which the sun has grown tired and rises for shorter and shorter times each day.   The children of earth re-energize it by expressing their gratitude for all the sun gives.  In return, the sun regains its energy and vigor and begins to shine ever more brightly, longer and longer each day. 

The children also brainstormed things they didn't like, and things they were grateful for.  And finally, together we created an acrostic for the word THANKS that expressed things we are grateful for.

Gratitude is a spiritual orientation connected to the experience of joy and the practice of generosity.  How can you expand upon today's teachings at home?  One way is to set aside a time every day or every week for sharing gratitude.  Light a candle and give each person an opportunity to name what they are thankful for.  Or set a shallow dish of water on a table and give each person a pebble or glass gem.  As they share what they are grateful for, they can place the pebble in the water.  Or place a large twig in a vase, give each person a paper cutout leaf or flower and have them write something they are grateful for, then hang it on the branches.  This could also be created on a piece of posterboard and displayed on the wall.

Explore with your child how the rhythms of nature support our life, and how the lessons we learn can be a guiding star pointing the way to love.