A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hold a true friend with both your hands.

— Nigerian proverb

People are social animals, and relating to others affirms both our and others' inherent dignity and self-worth. This session introduces the intangible gift of friendship and gives participants ways to show they appreciate their friends. The children learn that having friends and being a friend are an important part of who we are.

Goals

This session will:

• Introduce friendship as an intangible gift
• Explore the value of having and appreciating friends
• Show how being a good friend helps us live our Unitarian Universalist Principles, especially the first Principle (inherent worth and dignity of every person)
• Engage participants in the spiritual practices of opening and closing rituals.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Identify what they like about their friends
• Learn some ways to express appreciation of friends
• Reflect on the value of friends through a story about how the Native American character, Coyote, learns to value his friends
• Learn and sing a song about friendship.