Taking It Home
Part of Love Surrounds Us, Grades K-1
We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love. — Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Catholic nun and missionary
IN TODAY'S SESSION... The participants talked about how love surrounds them and how, as Unitarian Universalists, they are instruments of giving love in the world. In the story "The Wise Sailimai: A Muslim Tale from China" participants heard about a young girl who answered four questions for the king to save the life of her father-in-law. One of the questions was "What is stronger than steel?" The answer was love. Participants learned the song "Love Surrounds Me."
EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about...
- How the Spirit shows us the way of love
- Ways love surrounds your family each day
- Ways your family gives love to others each day.
EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...
A Family Adventure. Take a family walk. Bring along a notebook and pencil. Observe ways nature surrounds us with love. Draw pictures to remind you of all the ways that nature brings themes of love into our lives. Take your nature book home and place it on the family dining table. Look through your pictures each night or at the dinner table.
Family Discovery. Books to read:
- Toddler — Baby, I Love You by Karma Wilson (Little Simon, December 2009)
- Preschool — Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch (Firefly Books, 1995)
- Early elementary — The Way I Love You by David Bedford (Little Hare Books, 2009)
- Upper elementary — Learning to Love (Yasmin Peace Series) by Stephanie Perry Moore (Lift Every Voice, July 2009)
- Young adult — Love Is A Higher Law by David Levithan (Knopf Books for Young Readers, August 2009)
A Family Ritual. Family Love Notes: Invite everyone to use sticky notes to write notes of love to other family members. Put the notes on the refrigerator, the bathroom mirror, or a door. Find creative places to leave unsigned love notes for others every day.