Laughter. We are probably all familiar with the saying “Laughter is the best medicine.” Laughter helps reduce stress and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, a Google search informed me. And laughter just makes us feel better overall. So last week after our prayer service when I laughed over how Mrs. Cilmi misunderstood what I was saying I realized how I hadn’t laughed all summer because of all the drama I am going through and the ensuing stress. It felt so good to laugh and I gave her a big hug. The next day while at car-line Miss Bennett was telling me about how the whole family had really enjoyed their time at the L. A. County Fair. What had been the best part of their day at the fair? They had laughed. Papa Bennett only passed away this past spring and in their grieving they haven’t been laughing as much. The day at the fair, going on the rides, and being together they had been able to laugh as they remembered Papa Bennett. It was a good day.
With laughter in mind I zoned in on Riley’s essay because it made me laugh. I knew what he wanted to write about because he had asked if what he had in mind would be acceptable. I said yes. I wanted them to think of radical ways to help our communities, even if it was far fetched. Radical ideas gets us to thinking and can lead to coming up with a plan that can be put into action. The one restriction I gave to the 7th graders was it had to be something that could be done, no matter how radical and challenging. So if you see something falling from the sky it just may be Riley’s radical idea being put into action. I hope you enjoy reading how he and the rest of the 7th grade thinks we can care for our communities. May we put their ideas into action in some way. And may we help each other to laugh.
Radical Community Care
By Riley Ayala
A cool thing that we could do would be to drop sandwiches in plastic bags from a plane so that people would have a sandwich to eat.
Doing this would help the community in a way that we already do, but taking it to the next step and taking it further so that there are less hungry people and more people that are happy; everyone knows that good food makes people happy.
We not only have the first of the 7th grades essays beginning today, I also want to draw your attention to their beautiful insights and reflection posted in the bulletin board above the blue bench by the office. Originally this area was earmarked for something else, but when I read their thoughts after we watched a short video about a kid, a dog and a puddle this bulletin board was immediately redone in order to post their reflections. Please take a moment to read their little slips. We list the title of the video if you wish to Google it, but even without seeing the video you will enjoy them and be given a faith boast. Awesome job 7th grade, what great faith and charity you all have.
Thank you. Mrs. Alhadef