Generosity of Spirit

I am so touched by the Hammond culture of giving. It is present every day, both individually and collectively, and this time of year it is even greater. Our LS families have exceeded expectations in their giving to Families Helping Families, and tomorrow our LS Faculty will be enjoying a holiday lunch thanks to our Lower School Council.  Thank you to everyone. 

Through our Tuesday Talks, we have extended the concept of giving through discussions of wants and needs and encouraging students to participate in school service efforts to help others.  We work to support students' sense of community and civic responsibility, increasing their compassion for others, and discovering for themselves that even one young person can make a difference in the life of another. 

This time of year is filled with wonderful stories of miracles and light from many cultures and religions around the world. I think of it as a time of year in which we all want to remember that beautiful, magical things can happen if we believe in their possibility and do our part to allow them to be.  In addition to the various, wonderful holiday stories that we share with children, there is a beautiful story, The Hummingbird and The Fire, which you can see on youtube . It is a great tale of doing the best we can to help others, even if our individual part is as small as a hummingbird battling a forest fire. You may enjoy previewing this video and later sharing the tale with your children.  

Giving is an expression of a generosity of spirit. Generosity is never limited by our economic status, size or intellect. Generosity of spirit can be more than giving: it comes in the form of patience, perseverance, being present, listening, allowing and feeling emotions, and the humility to let another be "right" or have their way. Our littlest Skyhawks remind me often of the importance of generosity of spirit, both in what they do for others and in how patient they are with us as we continue to grow to be the parents, teachers, and community that they need.  

Generosity of Skyhawk Spirit. May your week be as filled with it as mine.