It Is Important to Listen to Advice

After telling the story, The Boy Who Loved to Paint Cats, from Japan to a gym full of grades 1 – 5 classes this morning, I asked what lessons they thought the story might be telling us.  Usually, I get general answers like, “The story is telling us to be brave,” or “The story is telling us to be creative.”  Today, one little boy answered, “The story is telling us that it is important to listen to advice from people you trust because they can really help you.”  Sometimes, I have the feeling that the stories speak deeply to individual children, meeting them right where they are in that moment in time.  Perhaps that little boy needed to listen to someone he trusted and the story helped him to see that.

Maybe that is just my wild imagination talking, but I can always hope.

Happy Storytelling!

Cheryl Thornton

Painting by Kunivoshi Utagawa

Experience Is…Another Little Story

Experience is the mother of wisdom.  A Chinese Proverb

Art by Amedeo Modigliani

May As Well Be Here…Another Little Story

May as well be here; we are where we are.  Australian Aboriginal saying.

Aboriginal Rock Art, Anbangbang Rock Shelter, Kakadu National Park, Australia

One who sits between two chairs may easily fall down.  A Russian Proverb

If You Are Afraid…Another Little Story

If you are afraid, don’t do it.  If you do it, don’t be afraid.  A Mongolian Proverb

Painting by Charles Walter Simpson

 

When Alone… Another Little Story

When alone, watch your thoughts; when with others, watch your words.  A Mongolian proverb

A Captive Horse…Another Little Story

A captive horse, if it is let go, can be caught again.  A spoken word can never be caught and unsaid.  a Mongolian proverb