by MichelleMarie |
Lucy is getting ready for the Chickmas Poetry Reading and Cinnamon is humming the appropriate tune in the background, so you get the full effect of Lucy’s words. Cinnamon was going to play her saxophone but even with the mike, Lucy couldn’t chirp loud enough to be heard over the music, so they decided Cinnamon would hum instead.
Chickmas time
everyone tells me that Chickmas Time
is a very special season
a time when humans are happier
when they are kinder
when they get together
and exchange gifts
a time when they kill and eat pigs
who are beautiful and sweet animals
a time to send cards
a time to spread joy and love
(except to the pigs, of course)
a time to decorate their houses
and bake cookies
the thing is
that’s what it’s like at The Coop
almost every single day
except we love our pig friends
and would never kill or eat them
because, as I said, we love them
and we would never eat living beings
not even humans
because chicklets extend love to everyone
not just certain ones
humans shouldn’t sing joy to the world
they should sing joy to certain beings and then name them
that would be more honest
because they seem to have little regard for anyone but themselves
and even then they are on shaky ground
so during this season of parties and laughter
we chicklets will be celebrating all life
and the only wish we have
it’s the same every year
is that humans will stop killing and torturing us
Merry Chickmas to all
and unlike humans
WE really mean all
See Original |
Picture from: Pinterest
Kinshasa, RD Congo
What if…all the soldiers in the world were to have dinner with those they were fighting against, on December 25th. A dinner where they would share food, pictures of their families and tell stories about the places they lived. If they could eat together and laugh together, would they still be able to kill each other the next day?
War is about killing strangers. If soldiers became friends would war be possible?
See Original |
Picture from: Pinterest
Isn’t it amazing how beautiful livings beings are? We could concentrate on that, on how we are surrounded by amazing things. We could make sure that all living things are cared for and protected. Make sure they have what they need. We can stop taking their habitats, poisoning their food and water. We can be be careful and polite. Gorgeous landscapes, birds, animals, all sorts of beings are everywhere (everywhere we haven’t destroyed). But instead, we barely see the things around us, more so than ever with our eyes locked onto one screen or another. And as the beauty of our world passes ever farther into the background, as it disappears forever, we hardly notice. I think there’s something really wrong with that. I think there’s something really wrong with us.
See Original |
Over the last 48 hours the city of love, Paris, was turned into the city of pain and sorrow, uncertainty, maybe fear and terror. It feels like watching a Bond movie. But it’s terribly real. In times like this it’s difficult to grasp what has happened. I’m sure that there are many posts out there about this at the moment. Honestly, I did not check my Reader just yet. I want to keep my mind free of everyone else’s thoughts. This time I don’t need any inspiration from the outside.
What happened in Paris should make us think once more. We get forced into no longer feeling free or safe in our own country, we are forced into worrying when we go out. We are forced into fighting back, maybe officially starting a war, which then feeds the ones that want to hurt us.
It makes you think: We fight terror with terror. Which, frankly, seems the only way to stay on top of it, or better keep up with it. But is it really? Is it really the case that people want to kill? Is it really the case that people want to live in constant terror?
I think it’s not.
No normal person wants to live in constant fear. No normal person wants to go to war, wants to kill. No normal person wants to see their child go to war or get killed. No one! We all know that there are some pretty strange people out there who use everything they can for their cause. Religion is probably on top of the list of tools to use to easily manipulate masses. And it’s a pretty damn strong tool. It can be bent and stretched in all sort of directions, it can be defined in a way that suits every one and every cause. And it gets people to listen.
It should make us act.
By acting I’m not talking about stepping up and use firearms and bombs. It’s time to stop! Stop the wars, stop the terror. Not with violence. Violence just leads to more violence. We need to change. We need to stop hating. It’s long overdue.
We need to stop hating what we don’t understand. We need to stop following blindly what we are told. We need to start questioning and making up our mind. We need to keep being kind.
While I type the last paragraph there’s so much pain and sorrow and fear inside of me. And I hate how much this got to me. How much it does to me. As there are doubts. Dangerous doubts. What if we can’t keep being kind? What if we are forced to follow? What if will no longer be free to make up our mind, to take decisions and question?
How can we conquer terror without using force?
It makes me sad and angry that we seem to get pushed into this corner where the only chances to get out seems to be shooting ourselves out. It makes me sad that I have doubts that there will be a peaceful way out of this. But deep inside I’m angry. And I want to protect what I have and what I cherish. I want my kids to grow up in a sorrow free world, in a world where they can do what they like to do, talk about what they want to talk about, wear what they want to wear. In a world where they can be free.
I don’t want them to live in fear. I want them to see the beauty of this world. I want them to be happy.
Where are we heading? How can it be that we can no longer feel safe when head out the house although we don’t live in a war zone?
I so want to stay positive. I so want to keep seeing the beauty. I so want to believe that we can change this all. I so want to believe that we can still be kind to each other and that we can still trust our neighbor. I so want to believe that this world is a good world. I do…
When you look at Facebook today, then the French flag is everywhere. There seems to be a huge support for the France, Paris, the victims and their family. It’s a stand against those who initiated it. And although it seems like there’s a massive amount of people standing up against terror in this quiet way, I wonder what it will actually do to the ones that simply don’t care. I’m pretty sure that most of the Facebook users that changed their profile picture in a Paris related way have the same worries and thoughts that I do. And it’s sad to say that the terrorists successfully planted that seed of fear into our society.
I don’t want that fear to grow bigger. I don’t want to allow it to take over like weeds take over in a garden if you let them. Seeing the French colors everywhere is a sign. A sign that we are not willing to give up. That we stand behind the victims. That the western world sticks together. We are not ready to give up the good live we have. We are not ready to give up our freedom. We are not ready to give up love and peace and being kind.
I’m not giving up!
Ancient hope delivered
on the wings of a dove
Witnessed from the
deck of a wooden boat
Forgotten in the tramp
of boots in battle through
mud and snow – past
bodies of comrades
Snagged on long strips
of barbed wire that
imprisonedmillions
Hidden in long tunnels
under wet green jungles
where teens fought teens
Lost among the clouds
behind the whine of engines
flying with heavy payloads
Ancient hope in the sky
ignored by humankind
© Candace Kubinec
1-Do not be a bully
2-Be kind and share 3-Don’t be afraid to get to know someone because they look different 4-Offer assistance if you see someone needs a helping hand 5-Don’t hang around with a crowd of trouble makers |
mishunderstood 1. Speak peacefully. 2. Acknowledge and validate children’s feelings…whether sad, mad or otherwise. 3. Respond. The brain of a small child has elasticity. This is the most opportune time for change. Every time you respond to their pain, stress, sadness, etc. in a positive way it helps to form pathways that will last a lifetime and contribute to their mental health. 4. Expose them to nature. Nature works as a system of cooperation. Life thrives in nature. 5. Be open and approachable. Closed minds do not create peace. |
hitandrun1964 |
1. BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ALL LIVING THINGS
2. LIVE YOUR OWN LIFE YOUR OWN WAY 3. ALWAYS QUESTION AUTHORITY 4. LET YOUR CREATIVITY SOAR 5 TRUST YOURSELFIf you do these five things you will have peace. |
Mary Lou
Compromise ~ Share ~ Empathize ~ Respect ~ Last but not least, Set Boundaries.
|
amommasview
1. To keep peace you have to nurture it constantly.
|
Heartafire
1 Violence never solves problems 2 learn to control your anger 3 discussion is the mature and reasonable path to resolution of differences 4 work toward acceptance of other people’s opinions and values even if you are not in agreement. 5 if all else fails to resolve anger and aggression , walk away. There is always tomorrow to try again
|
hitandrun1964 |
l. Believe in yourself.
2. Have fun.
3. Be brave.
4. Celebrate diversity.
5. Be open to life.
hitandrun1964 |
1. READ…reading gives children a better understanding of the world
2. DON’T JUDGE OTHERS…people aren’t better than
one another, just different
3. ACT…doing something teaches children to stand up
for what they believe in and it teaches them to help whenever
they can…it shows them that they can make a difference
4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THINGS/PEOPLE
THAT/WHO ENHANCE YOUR LIFE/JOY…if people are happy they
are more peaceful and share that feeling with others
5. DRAW BOUNDARIES & RESPECT YOURSELF…teaching kids
to draw boundaries that others can’t cross protects them and stops
them from becoming pawns for other people…it’s the anti-doormat rule
Thanks!
Melanie and Gigi
hitandrun1964 |
1. BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ALL LIVING THINGS
2. LIVE YOUR OWN LIFE YOUR OWN WAY 3. ALWAYS QUESTION AUTHORITY 4. LET YOUR CREATIVITY SOAR 5 TRUST YOURSELFIf you do these five things you will have peace. |
Mary Lou
Compromise ~ Share ~ Empathize ~ Respect ~ Last but not least, Set Boundaries.
|
flavikiwi
1- know that nothing is forever, everything changes that’s the only constant.
2- listen. but think for yourself 3- your liberty ends when the others begins 4- work for the best, expect the worst 5- know that your actions always have consequences |
amommasview
1. To keep peace you have to nurture it constantly.
|
Heartafire
1 Violence never solves problems 2 learn to control your anger 3 discussion is the mature and reasonable path to resolution of differences 4 work toward acceptance of other people’s opinions and values even if you are not in agreement. 5 if all else fails to resolve anger and aggression , walk away. There is always tomorrow to try again
|
hitandrun1964 |
l. Believe in yourself.
2. Have fun.
3. Be brave.
4. Celebrate diversity.
5. Be open to life.
hitandrun1964 |
1. READ…reading gives children a better understanding of the world
2. DON’T JUDGE OTHERS…people aren’t better than
one another, just different
3. ACT…doing something teaches children to stand up
for what they believe in and it teaches them to help whenever
they can…it shows them that they can make a difference
4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THINGS/PEOPLE
THAT/WHO ENHANCE YOUR LIFE/JOY…if people are happy they
are more peaceful and share that feeling with others
5. DRAW BOUNDARIES & RESPECT YOURSELF…teaching kids
to draw boundaries that others can’t cross protects them and stops
them from becoming pawns for other people…it’s the anti-doormat rule
Thanks!
Melanie and Gigi