Page 7 - TheMoralOfYourStory

6 CHILDART THE MORAL OF YOUR STORY APR-JUN 2021 7

INTRODUCTION:

CREATING

A PLACE FOR ALL

AMY ENKE

MANAGING EDITOR

When I was a child, my parents proposed that our family might involve growing pains, but it’s possible. It usually
celebrate the Christmas holiday by doing good deeds. doesn’t cost money or require unobtainable skills. It might
Each child would think of one thing we could do to spread require courage. Growing deeds are good. Perhaps they
cheer and we would participate together in these acts of don’t have the impact on another’s life that good deeds
kindness. I instantly knew what I wanted to do. do, but they open windows of understanding that can
lead us to finding and living a better way. Growing deeds
I wanted to deliver holiday treats to Veronica, a very shy involve missed opportunity, but improved future opportunity.
girl who rode my school bus home from junior high school
each day. She was a small person with long black hair. Morality can be defined as what a society sanctions as
I didn’t know Veronica and she didn’t know me. I rarely right or wrong behavior. It asks that we treat each other
talked to anyone on the long bus ride home. Our family fairly, with a concern for the welfare of others. It’s about
lived in a large home on a farm on the edge of town. I avoiding and preventing harm, and it’s what allows us to
really didn’t like riding the school bus. The “cool” kids live cooperatively in communities. Some morals transcend
didn’t ride the bus. Each afternoon, the bus stopped to place and time. Some are universal. These might include
let Veronica off. She lived in a school bus parked on a being fair, respecting others’ property, lending a hand,
small lot overgrown with vines and weeds. Every day I or being brave.
felt sad for her. Kids on the bus made fun of her. Just
like Veronica, I was also shy. But I wish I had spoken to In this issue of ChildArt magazine, we explore the question
Veronica. I wish I had asked her to sit with me. “What is morality?” Guest contributors have offered insight
into finding answers. They share the stories of spilled
On the night of my Christmas good deed, our family drove ink, a coach’s reprimand, and tragic loss, along with
to Veronica’s school-bus home. My family waited in the stories of happiness and harmony, success rising from
car while I hopped out, heart pounding, and hurried to the adversity, a wise Nigerian proverb, and how to work your
door with a plate of treats. I placed the plate on the top way through a difficult decision. Acting with moral integrity
step, knocked on the door of the bus, and hurried back transcends the emotion of the moment—and that takes
to the car. It was a dark, cold night. I remember feeling practice. By expanding our understanding of what kinds
hesitant to knock on the bus door because the glass was of choices create a healthy life and a healthy planet for
broken. What if my knocking made the glass shatter? I all, we become better at living a moral life.
remember feeling nervous and shy. I wish I had had the
courage to wait at the door of that bus and introduce This magazine is filled with art from children around the
myself to Veronica, to say Merry Christmas and invite her world. We think you will agree that the art radiates the
joyful creative spirit that contributes to building a blissful future.
Not all of us can do great things. to sit with me on the bus ride home from school. As the pandemic has engulfed the world, we have heard
That night, I did a deed. I’m not sure it can be called a
But we can do small things with good deed. I think it might be better called a growing the call again and again that we must practice “social
distancing.” Yet, in a world calling out also for unity,
deed. I hope that when Veronica saw the treats she felt
empathy, and healing, we might do better to combine
great love. that someone liked her, or cared, or wanted her to feel physical distancing with social connectedness. We invite
happiness. I will never know. What I have learned, in the
ensuing years, is that often, the best moral choice is within you to explore, through ChildArt, ways to participate in
our capability. It might not be the comfortable choice, it creating a place for all.
Mother Teresa

ARTWORK NICOLA ROOS AGE11 SOUTH AFRICA https://icaf.org