I feel I can add nothing, do nothing for those who are suffering in the
United States, for those in Britain who have lost loved ones in this
disaster, for those Americans who were abroad at the time and not able
to fly home. But we all do our little best...
I was teaching 5/6-year-olds yesterday. As it takes me forty minutes to
cycle to work, I have taken to writing children's songs in my head and
trying them out with them. I had managed to make a slow soft song on the
words Peace on Earth, Peace on Earth, Look down, look down on the
children, dear Father, and bring us peace on Earth. I told them simply
that this was because of the sad news from America, and when one
5-year-old piped up that he had seen it on the television, a big
building being hi-jacked by some aeroplanes, I just said yes, that's
right.
They didn't all sing, but then they wouldn't anyway. I showed them how
to sit and meditate and said they could sing it at the same time. There
is one very hyperactive and disruptive little boy who I thought wasn't
there because everything was so quiet, but I saw him at the end. Another
normally rather naughty boy called to me at the end and told me in a
very matter-of-fact way that "that sad song we did" had made him cry,
upon which a pair of little girls who appear to be almost velcroed
together and delightfully are called Anna and Hannah, eagerly told me
that it had been the same for them. I said this was good because it had
made them feel something, and in a strange way, they all seemed very
happy that it had made them cry. A very naughty little girl, who had
sulked every one of the six times I had reprimanded her earlier that
day, sweetly smiled and said goodbye to me, and nodded when I asked if
she was now feeling all at peace and ready to be nice to others at
playtime.
In the afternoon we sent out a six-year-old boy for hitting the boy next
to him. He said "he hit me first" although it turned out this had been
an accident. I told all the class very firmly that no matter what their
parent had told them, they do _not_ hit back as long they are in my
classroom, that one person hitting was doing a wrong thing, but the
person who hits _back_ is the one who actually turns it into fight, and
it doesn't make them a better person. A few looked surprised - in some
parts of society the children are still told "if someone hits you, you
make sure you hit them back". I worry about some of the hawkish
sentiments I have heard over the past couple of days; I worry about the
children.
Those who have said that the best way to hit back is to show that
America can still be strong by rebuilding itself and showing that you
cannot destroy its spirit are doing the right thing by humanity.
love to you all
Linda
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