大象传媒

From Rae Duke, Religion and Ethics teacher and broadcaster.听
Last week was a big one in our household. After 16-months of being, predominantly, at home with me, my daughter Rory had her first week at nursery. It was a bittersweet moment; the start of a more independent chapter as her world broadens and she gives flying solo a go. We took baby steps to work up to her first full day; I stayed put for session one, hung around just long enough to see her toddle to the sandpit on day two and did the 鈥榙rop-off鈥� at the door on day three. All nerves were most definitely mine, as the allure of glitter and shredded paper happily took any edge off for her.听
That same week I saw a video that鈥檇 gone viral of a Palestinian primary school teacher welcoming her kids to class one morning. It鈥檚 a heartwarming watch! Each pupil touches a logo on entering that tells their teacher how they鈥檇 like to be greeted; some need a hug, others a high-five, there鈥檚 even the option for a handshake. The video has resonated with so many because, yes - it showcases amazing kindheartedness in such a troubled part of the world but also because it taps into something I think we all feel acutely but don鈥檛 always act upon - recognizing each other鈥檚 uniqueness and appreciating how our human emotional needs fluctuate from day to day, week to week and year on year.听
We adults rarely treat each other with that degree of consideration. And yet I reckon we never lose the child within us, eager for someone to respond to our emotional needs. Perhaps we cover it up 鈥� to our cost. I鈥檓 a big fan of C. S. Lewis鈥� reinterpretation of a famous biblical quote. He writes, 鈥淲hen I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.鈥� I hope those kids in Palestine bottle that feeling of being related to as somebody special, that they can pass it on further down the line and that we might also give it a go too.