Celebrate!
October brings some of the most important holidays in a couple of major religions – the Muslim time of fasting called Ramadan, and the Jewish High Holy Days. (Adults might be interested in this article about how they come together this year.) Click on the links below to find out more—and then bear with us if the rest of this issue of KidTalk centers not on these important days of reflection and fasting, but rather on the comparatively minor feast day of St. Francis, which is celebrated with the Blessing of the Animals. But if that doesn't suit, you can always celebrate Rama's victory over the demon Ravana, or the birth of a Baha'i prophet. And we could never forget Halloween!
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We Honor… |
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| Henry Bergh, a Unitarian who founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Henry was born into a wealthy family in 1813. While serving as a diplomat in Russia he began to notice how badly animals were often treated, and he stopped in England on his way back to the US to learn from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals about how to use the law to prevent the abuse of animals. In 1866, in response to Henry's dedicated campaign, the New York State Legislature agreed to create the first society for the prevention of cruelty to animals in the US, and the nation's first law against animal cruelty.
Henry never stopped his personal crusade to see that all animals were treated with kindness, but in 1874 he added work to prevent abuse of children as well, creating, with the help of others, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Henry Bergh certainly understood our UU seventh principle, which honors “the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.”
Learn more about Henry Bergh, and the book award from the ASPCA that honors him. |
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Act!
We've all heard about the terrible disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina. One of many awful things that happened because of the flooding was that many people who had to leave their homes were not able to take their pets with them. Rescuing these thousands of dogs, cats and other animals, and returning them to their owners or finding new homes for them is a huge task. You can help by supporting the disaster relief efforts of the ASPCA. Click here to learn more about their efforts, and for information on how an adult can donate money online.
Want to raise some money for this good cause yourself? How about selling home-made dog biscuits? Here are some recipes to try. |
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Nurturing Your Spirit
Scientific studies have shown that petting animals is good for people – and animals. Stroking your dog or cat can be a way to get calm, open your heart and remember the ways that beings can be connected with out the need for words. Here is a guided meditation that can put you in touch with the ways our spirits are touched by our animal friends (pet and wild).
Or do your own meditation by sitting down with a relaxed animal and quietly petting them. Pay attention to what the animal is telling you about what they like. Notice the ways that you and this pet can connect and communicate without the need for words. |
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Practicing the Principles
While we're talking about animals, it makes sense to spend time with our seventh principle: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” In other words, every living thing in the world is connected to every other living thing, and we need to make choices remembering that everything we do touches beings that we probably will never see.
Activity #1: Make your favorite kind of sandwich (we see a lot of peanut butter and jelly around my house!). Then make a list of everyone and everything involved in creating that sandwich. Don't forget, for instance, the bees which pollinated the fruit for jam, the truckers who moved goods to market or the prehistoric plants which turned into the petroleum we use for transportation and fertilizer. Feel free to e-mail me your list (RE@clfuu.org) and I'll send a virtual peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the person who comes up with the most items.
Activity #2: Do an animal audit of your back yard or an outdoor space near you. What animals (including bugs) do you see or hear? Consider how you might increase the number of wild things near you. For instance read information on planting a butterfly garden or suggestions on how to build a variety of kinds of birdfeeder.
Activity #3: Please a puppy and practice recycling by making dog toys from recycled materials. My puppy's favorites: 1) A plastic soda or water bottle (top removed) to roll around and crunch on. 2) A few pieces of dog food inside an empty (rinsed and mostly dry) plastic milk jug—the fun is in figuring out how to get the food out. 3) An empty, but not rinsed plastic peanut butter jar (when you're done with that sandwich). You'd be amazed how far that tongue can reach. But don't try this with a tiny puppy who could get his/her head stuck in the jar. Let me know (RE@clfuu.org) if you come up with other great ideas—puppy Taz can't wait to try them! |
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