ILM. It stands for “Inspiring Lives with Meaning”. But I would like to back-track just a bit and question “What is a meaningful & purposeful life?”
Search high and low, one generally finds fulfilment in acts that are done selflessly only. It’s only when one’s intentions are pure to foster the ‘greater good’, that one finds completeness . It’s a puzzling yet amusing paradox. That to complete the self, one has to erase the self.
The Way to Be:
But how do you teach selfless values to children? Ofcourse these can only be taught by living them. Classroom instruction only goes only as far as the teacher’s practice. Nonetheless lessons in values are important and have their place too.
I came across this amazing book that helps manifest selfless characteristics to lead a fulfilled and purposeful life in children. The book’s titled “Way to Be!” – “How to be Brave, Responsible, Honest and an All-around Great Kid!” It has ten chapters, each focused on a virtue like bravery, consideration, co-operation and fairness.
It’s not easy teaching values to children. One will find oneself stumped in the definition of the values itself.
Authors Jill Lyn Donahue and Mary Small not only have done an astounding job in defining these values well but also then go on to list how to practice these values in real life through everyday examples that children inevitably come across. All wrapped up with simple illustrations that force you to turn page after page.
Have a look at a few pages form the Way to Be:
ABOUT BEING BRAVE:
Bravery is not just standing up to a mean person who is tougher and strong than you… (although that is an immensely brave thing to do). Transcending fear on any count is a shining example of being brave. Taking a painful injection. Not bowing down to peer pressure…these are all testaments to courage.
With a few lines and simple illustrations, each page is a little story of how one can rise to become a higher version of oneself by inculcating strong human values.Values that provide one with immense strength in trying, difficult times. Values that can disarm the fiercest of opponents in the struggle of life! Values that ultimately, brick by brick, act by act make up a multi-faceted, well adjusted human being.I am so glad that we have this treasure of a book at the ILM Library.
The Way to Be is distributed by Spellbound. They have a great collection. Do give them a visit. Meanwhile leaving you with a few snapshots of some of my favourite pages from this little gem of a read:
