Reflection Sunday 23rd March 2025

Sunday School # 181

In Chapter 2 of The Door-To-Door Bookstore, Carl is sceptical about the bookstore's ability to change lives, while  Schascha believes in the power of books to connect people. Their contrasting views create tension and an opportunity for growth.

Reflection Questions-

1. How might Carl's and Schascha's perspectives on life influence their future actions in the story?

   - Carl and Schascha have different outlooks on life. How do these differences shape their journey as the story progresses?

 

2. How does Schascha's attitude differ from Carl's?

   - Reflect on Schascha's optimism and excitement. How does she see the bookstore's role differently from Carl?

 

3. What role do you think books play in Carl's life?

   - Carl seems disconnected from the bookstore. What do books mean to him, and why might he distribute them?

 

4. What do you think Carl learns from Schascha's perspective on books and life, and how might that impact his view of the world?

Schascha is full of energy and belief in the bookstore. How can a positive attitude like hers influence how we see challenges in life?

Can you think of a situation where staying positive helped you overcome something difficult? How did it make a difference?

In chapter 20 of The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben, "Shame and Regret," the author delves into animals' emotional experiences, exploring how they might experience feelings of shame and regret. Wohlleben draws on scientific studies and observations to suggest that animals, much like humans, can feel embarrassed when they fail to meet certain expectations or make mistakes. This chapter challenges the common belief that animals only act based on instincts, showing that they can have complex emotions, too.

Reflection Questions:

 

1. Do you believe animals can feel shame or regret? Why or why not?

   - Think about your own experiences with emotions like shame or regret. Do you think animals could similarly experience these feelings?

 

2. How does the idea that animals can feel emotions like shame challenge your previous understanding of animals?

   - Have you ever considered that animals might experience emotions beyond basic instincts? How does this chapter change your view?

 

3. Why is it important to recognise that animals might experience emotions like shame and regret?

   - How could understanding animals' emotions change the way we treat them or view their behaviour?

 

4. Can you think of a time when you felt regret or shame and how it affected you?

   - Reflecting on your own experiences, how do these emotions influence your actions or decisions? Can you imagine animals having similar emotional experiences?

Key Takeaways:

• Book Discussion: We discussed The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, focusing on the protagonist, Carl, and his passion for books and unique way of viewing the world. We explored themes of loneliness, routine, and meaning and discussed how literary references are woven into the narrative, mainly through Karl's interactions with 9-year-old Schascha.

• Reading vs. Watching TV: We highlighted the cognitive benefits of reading over watching TV. Reading encourages imagination, enhances attention span, and fosters critical thinking. In contrast, TV viewing often leads to multitasking and shorter attention spans.

• Animal Emotions and Cognition: We examined research that shows animals, including mice, pigs, and dogs, display complex emotions like empathy, fairness, and even regret. This challenges traditional assumptions about animal cognition and emotions. Mirror neurons in animals allow them to "feel" others' feelings, and early exposure to empathy strengthens these neural pathways.

• Fairness and Regret in Animals: Experiments revealed that dogs, ravens, and rats show a strong sense of fairness, while rats exhibit regret-like behaviours when making poor choices. These findings challenge previous views on animal emotions and cognition.

1. Next Week's Session: Lina Ashar will host her second YES Workshop on education for the future. Please check out the video recording of her last session on February 23rd, 2025: https://youtu.be/RsKdSpxSCek?si=Z0bTE5TrJnIci7eZ.

2. Reading Progress: Jugjiv Sir will complete the current book chapter by next week. 

Upcoming Retreat: We will read My Good School Where Passion Meets Education at the forthcoming Retreat and gift all participants one copy of the My Good School Record book. 

I am looking forward to our continued discussions. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need clarification.

You can email your reflections to mk@learningforward.org.in or post them as comments below!

Recording of My Good School hosted on Sunday, the 23rd of March 2025.

Manisha Khanna
GSA Ambassador

📝✨ Student Perspectives on Science & Well-being ✨📝- Sunbeam Lahartara

At Sunbeam School, students love exploring and expressing their thoughts on fascinating topics. Here are some insightful reflections on a few thought-provoking subjects!

🐍🔥 Warm and Cold-Blooded Animals ❄️🐢

Animals have different ways of regulating their body temperature. Warm-blooded animals, like humans and birds, maintain a constant body temperature regardless of the environment. Cold-blooded animals like reptiles and amphibians depend on external sources like the sun to keep warm. This adaptation helps them survive in various climates, but it also means they must be careful in extreme temperatures.

🐝🌸 Why Do Bees Pollinate? 🍯💐

Bees are nature's tiny superheroes! 🦸‍♂️ They pollinate flowers as they collect nectar for making honey. This process helps plants reproduce and ensures we have fruits, vegetables, and beautiful flowers. Without bees, our food supply would be at risk! Protecting these hardworking insects is crucial for a healthy ecosystem.

🧘‍♂️🕊️ Meditation and Its Importance 🙏🧘‍♀️

Meditation is a powerful tool for inner peace and focus in today's fast-paced world. It helps reduce stress, improves concentration, and keeps our minds calm. Many students practice meditation daily to stay focused on their studies and maintain a positive mindset. A few minutes of deep breathing and mindfulness can bring clarity and happiness to our lives.

Students develop curiosity and critical thinking through these discussions, making learning a joyful experience. 🌟 What are your thoughts on these topics? Let's keep the conversation going! 😊✨

Sunbeam School and Hostel Lahartara

THE ANTIDOTE 💊 - Tenzin Nyingsel

Whatever we do in our lives costs one or more of the other important things we possess. There is always a hidden cost, whether it's the capital or the time. Our possessions should always be spent on the right things; we will only start putting our hearts into them. Later, we get the passion for it, and we never know how that becomes a career in our very lives.

If we keep these essential points in mind whenever we choose to do something, we shall never need an antidote to continue what we are doing or about to do.

"A samosa doesn't cost £15, it costs your health.

YouTube doesn't cost £300-£400; it costs your health.

Social media isn't free; it costs your focus."

As a result, remember that "There is always a hidden cost."

Tenzin Nyingsel
Pestalozi Children Village Society
Class X

What Jai Hind means to me -Vaibhav Jaiswal

We learned today that willpower is essential, which gives us something to fight with in every situation.

We learned about passion through education, which makes our lives interesting, wonderful, and joyous.

Once, Ratan Tata said Collect the stones that people throw at you and use them to build a monument.

 

Vaibhav Jaiswal 9 d 

Sunbeam School Lahartara 

                                                                                                       

"PEOPLE are more important than THINGS" - Nishan Karki

https://goodschoolsalliance.godaddysites.com/my-good-school

"Most of the important things in the world have been

accomplished by people who have kept on trying 

when there seemed to be no hope at all."

~Dale Carnegie

People and things are very different from each other. People are social beings who can communicate, interact, work, play, and share their thoughts, ideas, emotions and opinions, like other things. Things cannot do all the activities mentioned above. People possess many important values which make them more

important than things. Things are just objects which have a physical presence. Things include utensils, stationery, chair, table, electronics, etc. People only gave the ideas to invent these things. It shows that things exist because of the people who invented them. Therefore people are more important than things.

There are many reasons why people are more important than things. Some of them are listed below:

● People can take care and look out for each other, but things do not. We were not born, nourished and raised by things. It was our parents who did things. Parents are the people who were our first and foremost teachers who taught us to walk, eat, speak, play and help us to know about things.

● People can give us happiness and satisfaction more than things. There are only a few people who get satisfaction and happiness from things. But for most of us, we get satisfaction and happiness from people. People only provide support and help when we face problems in our life. They are the ones who encourage us to follow the right path to get success.

● Parents, friends, teachers, relatives and siblings are the people who make our life meaningful, not things.

● Even the value of gold, silver, diamond, etc., is less compared to people. We will get money by selling these minerals, but we will not get the support, help, encouragement and guidance that people can provide us.

Life would of no meaning if people were not present around us. Without other people in our life, we will have a limited viewpoint to look at the world.

Therefore, PEOPLE are more important than THINGS.

Written by-

Nishan Karki

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India

Is it important to have a purpose in life? - Reflections 19th Feb 2023 Sunday Reading

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience." Eleanor Roosevelt.

Life without a purpose can not be called life. No one may have no meaning in their life. If we have a purpose in life, we should fulfil it with great focus and deliberation. It is essential to have a purpose in life. We need to achieve our goal of being better and more successful people in future. If we have a purpose, we have to move with it and complete it. Carrying a sense makes our life interesting, simple and peaceful. Hence we should have a purpose in life.

- Nishan Karki

A building would be incomplete even if any one piece of brick is missing. All the bricks of different sizes are equally crucial for constructing the building. Similarly, every person in this world has a purpose in life. Many people together form a society; one individual can never create a community like one flower doesn't make a garden. Looking around our society and environment, we see many people doing different things, working and doing jobs.

When you wake up, you find your breakfast ready on the table, and then you go to work, school, college, or office through various modes of transportation, and you buy items and products from the market. People are serving us, and directly or indirectly, we also have value in society. We all should have a purpose to create a happy community without having any goals in life. We are like damaged roots that can't support or assist plants.  

- Tenzin Jambey

Grow More Trees - Budh Kunwar

Trees play an important role in our life. Without trees, we can't imagine our life. Trees give oxygen to breathe, and it takes carbon dioxide. They purify the air. They give us flowers, fruits, wood, and shade. They are also home to many birds and insects. Some trees are used to make medicines. We make beautiful furniture from wood. Without trees, it's difficult for us to get rain. Sitting under a tree for few hours relaxes our mind and body. 

I would request everyone not to cut trees, instead grow more and more plants and trees for themselves. 

Budh Kunwar 

Class IV

The Fabindia School