Redeeming the First Minute
You teach the way you teach…. You always start the school year that way…. You see no point in buying back a mere minute…. Ah, but first impressions are lasting! What if a couple of secrets injected into the first minute could make a tremendous difference in the entire school
Thanksgiving for Compassion and Love
Thursday, November 24 is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. Character in action in many lives provides a cornucopia of reasons for thanksgiving. Take, for example, the victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Add to their number the victims of tornadoes in the Midwest and floods in the
Character Counts toward Elderly Parents
The other day, I was talking with a dear friend about problems encountered when placing an elderly parent in a rest home. As we spoke, I suddenly remembered a man of whom I have not thought for some time. Mr. Williamson (not his real name) was himself a senior citizen
Valentine’s Day Character
When I lived in Japan, more years ago than I care to recall, no one celebrated Valentine’s Day. When I lived in New Zealand, ten years ago, few people celebrated Valentine’s Day. Now, however, it seems that the commercialization of the day has spread to those countries and more. Today,
Surprised by Character
My thoughts are still on personal relationships. Specifically, I’m thinking about a man I met in college. David worked in the school dining hall, as did I, and our paths crossed there. My job was to stack dirty dishes on serving tables, and set up diners’ tables for the next
YOU Can Teach Love Successfully in February!
February lends itself to the teaching of love as a character trait. This is especially true in countries where people exchange valentine cards and candies. Toddlers to teens, all are keyed into thinking about love in its romantic form, giving you a stepping stone to introduce the meaning of the
Wanted: Authentic Love
Mate-bashers need not apply! The girls got together for lunch today – just ten of you – to celebrate your birthday. The talk was all about you for a few minutes, until Janet commented, “You’re lucky that Ralph is taking you out tonight. My husband would never do that, birthday
Love Test
He loves me – he loves me not.She loves me – she loves me not. The simple act of pulling petals from a daisy is often used to determine, usually for amusement only, whether or not a romantic interest shares our love. Daisies won’t tell, however. You have to
Love Is Not for Cowards!
Regardless of the consequences to you personally, love must do what is best for the object of that love. • Your neighbor, furious at you and the homeowners’ association for insisting he obey certain rules, backs his car into the corner of your house. His salary won’t cover both the
When Children Learn to Love
Most children (because of the teaching given by many adults) think of love as a feeling that is warm and fuzzy. They think that someone who loves will always make others happy. When children learn authentic love, however, with absolute values, we get absolute results. Imagine the home or school
