Spiritual Preparation
Part of Moral Tales, Grades 2-3
To prepare for this session, read the story, "The Lion on the Path," and run it through your imagination so that the setting and characters are vivid. Then take some time with a trusted friend or family member, to recall times when you took a risk to act in the face of injustice, or when conscience called.
Maybe you stood up to a bully, or someone making racist or sexist remarks. Perhaps you participated in a protest or a civil disobedience. Maybe you made a speech about something that was important to you, despite stage fright. Maybe you spoke honestly to a friend about something they were doing that was hurting you. Your experiences of courage may be about times when you did something new for the first time, such as traveling alone, applying for a job, becoming a parent or reaching out to make a new friend.
Talk and think about these experiences. Try to identify the qualities you found in yourself that allowed you to carry these experiences through. Using your own experiences, come up with your own definition of courage.
Give some thought to the kind of courage you need to lead Moral Tales, and give yourself credit for finding it when you need it. You may even wish to set some goals for new ways you could act with courage in situations in your life that you care about.