Taryn Strauss

Director of Religious Education

REflections

February 2010

It’s difficult to know how to respond when a disaster on the scale of the earthquake in haiti occurs. Going about the normal ups and downs of life seems petty and disconnected. Spending hours in front of the computer watching videos of rescue attempts and sobbing doesn’t feel productive either. Giving blood and money feels good because it is good. Those are acts of love which honor our sacred connection to the human family.

How do we teach our children about such impossible devastation? We have a responsibility to share these tragedies with children, for many reasons. They will hear about them from teachers, friends or other sources, all of which are uncontrolled and can fuel fear and helplessness. Also, parents have the power to show kids that every tragedy can be an opportunity to reconnect with the interdependent web of life.

I may not always find God in an ocean sunrise, or a walk in the woods, or a holy altar. Instead, my personal relationship with the Divine Spirit lies in the stories of sacrifice and connection made through relief work. I find spiritual healing in the communal efforts of human rights and justice. I see the divine spark shine in people when they are toiling in the work of the world. Our children should know that immense suffering often travels with heroism, help, and love. When we share our joys and our sorrows with one another as I suggest in the bottom of this page, we create a non-anxious forum to navigate life’s imminent hardships.

As religious educators, parents and teachers alike, our spiritual work at church is to facilitate this forum. We all seek to give our children what they need most to face the dangers and uncertainties of the world: love, self-confidence, awareness, freedom from fear, and the ability to think for themselves. .