Listen

RENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDAN UTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PA ITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LO ANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOP ATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AW AUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRU E GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY RENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDAN UTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PA ITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LO ANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOP ATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AW AUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRU E GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY RENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDAN UTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PA ITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LO ANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOP ATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AW AUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRU E GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY RENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDAN UTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PA ITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LO ANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOP ATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AW AUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRU E GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY RENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDAN UTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PA ITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LO ANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOP ATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AW AUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY COMPASSION PATIENCE HOPE PEACE GRATITUDE TRU E GRATITUDE TRUTH ABUNDANCE FREEDOM LOVE BEAUTY JOY AWARENESS SIMPLICITY

Listen

Oifig an Tanaiste Office of the Tanaiste

Ms Fiona Ni Flaolain Newpark Comprehensive Newtown Park Avenue Blackrock Co Dublin

14th 11ovember 2013

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Dear Ms Ni Fhaolain , Thank you for sending me on a copy of 'Listen' which I was delighted to receive a copy of and have enjoyed browsing.

I note from the foreword that you , your five colleagues and the wider school community have invested over two years of your time and energy into the publication . You must be rightly proud of the final product, a truly inspirational and touching collection of artwork and written thoughts, but also so proud of the process. I fully agree with you th at time shou!d be given during the school day, in everyone's day really, to take time bat to consider the deeper questions. That is often lost sight of and I commend you on taking the lead on carving time out for the Newpark School Community to do so.

I will treasure the gift, thank you.

Warmest wishes,

Eamon Gilmore TD Tanaiste and Leader of the Labour Party

Tithe an Ri altais, Sraid Mhui rfean Uachtarach, Baile Atha Cliath 2.

Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2.

Email : eamon.gi lmore@tanaiste.gov. ie D0

f)- _()Arna phriomiiil ar ph:iipt!ar athchU~ilte

'CJ <:J

Printed on recycled paper

11 November 2013

Fiona Nf Fheolain Newtownpark Avenue Blackrock Co.Dublin

Dear Fiona, I want to thank you and the school for the beautiful book "Listen" which you recently sent to me. have had the opportunity to read it and I have found it really beautiful and inspiring. I am sure it was a great experience to be involved with, very innovative, and I can see a lot of work went into it from all those who contributed to it. It really is just wonderful.

I am wondering if it is for sale? I would love to purchase two more copies of it.

Thanks again to you and the school for the lovely thought.

Kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary, Stanhope Street, Dublin 7. Tel: 016705419 Fax: 01 672 8086 Email : enquiries@sanctuary.ie Website: www.sanctuary.ie Directors: Sheila Caulfield , Stephen Gallagher, Mary Jennings, Stanislaus Kennedy. Patricia Leahy, Paula Duffy, Richard Mulcahy (Chairperson), Sile Wall , Barbara Whelan Charity registered number 13076, Co registration number 289733

Fiona Ní Fhaoláin Newpark Comprehensive Scoil Chuimsitheach Na Páirce Nua Newtown Park Avenue Blackrock Co. Dublin

Telephone: 012883724 / 2883541 Fax: 01 2782478 Email: office@newparkschool.ie

www.newparkschool.ie

© All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of Fiona Ní Fhaolain.

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A Thousand Thanks to All

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Foreword

I work as a mainstream teacher in Newpark Comprehensive. It often crosses my mind that that there is something lacking in our educational system about how we care for ourselves and each other and what it is that connects us all globally. Sometimes I feel we are racing to get things done for the ‘Points System’ and miss out on what is really important in the bigger scheme of things. We talk about peace ‐ but not about the peace inside us or how to get to that peaceful place. Sometimes it’s only when we are troubled and disheartened that we are instantly aware of the importance of compassion and humanity. In 2010 I thought about what we could do quietly in the classroom and felt that it would be possible to create a space for people to express their feelings on global themes that connect us universally on all levels.

I chose twelve themes and initially asked five colleagues for support to solidify the idea and the thinking behind it. Although feeling vulnerable, I launched the idea as best I could at a whole staff meeting. Simple guidelines were given to staff about how to get involved and why we were doing it. I invited teachers to join in by giving over some of their class time to work with students on this. We began in January 2011. Very large posters of the twelve themes were posted up around the school to get us in the mood which created a buzz of curiosity and interest. We invited everyone – staff, students and parents ‐ to get involved. Teachers who were interested facilitated in class by providing time and space for discussion, reflection and meditation as well as for responding creatively through the arts.

As it was the first time we had set out to express our feelings about Freedom, Love, Beauty, Joy and so on in the classroom, it was indeed a special time where people spoke from the heart about what really mattered to them at that moment. In those moments you could feel the struggle and sincerity of the effort to express these feelings. There was something precious and meaningful about that time. Some participants shared their thoughts and feelings, others just listened or contributed written or visual responses either during the class or in their own time. Some groups responded to the themes by performing music. Others talked about songs that expressed the themes which caused instant response, excitement and fun. Many brought their chosen music in to share with others.

We found that some themes resonated more than others with students and many found it difficult to understand the deeper meaning of Abundance and Awareness. Zest for Life and Hope were themes students felt had to be added on. We gathered all the written submissions and images. Collecting the data was quick, but editing and putting it together in order of importance to the students took a lot longer. The co‐ordinating group had lots of discussions about how to go forwards. We went in a different direction with animation videos of the images, text and music which we showed to students and staff. Between the jigs and the reels however, we finally came back to the original idea of a book: something you can pick up, hold and browse through at any time. Along the way there has been input from many people with many different skills and talents.

This initiative was an opportunity for our school to take stock of what really matters at the end of the day. We chose to deliberately stop and create a space to share our feelings and thoughts on global and universal themes. We had never done this before. It was an invitation to everyone to come together and share, listen and touch each other’s hearts. From the beginning we explained that it was not an academic, competitive or migrainous venture and that it would not be used to make money or market the school. It was a new experience for us all. The venture had an uplifting effect in our school community and naturally created good feeling as words and thoughts are vibrational in nature. We had a lot of laughs and fun about it all. Also, as we do not often use words like love, passion and abundance in our daily work, it was new for staff as well.

I feel it is very beneficial to make time in our school system to allow young people to express their feelings on how we care about ourselves, each other and the planet in a kind, gentle and loving way. In schools we tend to search for answers outside ourselves, but the answers to life’s truly important questions like Who am I? and What is my life’s purpose? can only be found by going inside and connecting with our inner selves. Meditation and mindfulness are life tools with infinite benefits. We could do with this being at the heart of what we do in schools. We are ready for this and we deserve it.

Fiona Ní Fhaoláin, May 2013

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There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen. ‐ Rumi

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Contents Freedom................................................................................................................................9 Love ....................................................................................................................................31 Beauty .............................................................................................................................. 47 Joy ..................................................................................................................................... 65 Awareness.........................................................................................................................77 Simplicity.........................................................................................................................85 Compassion .......................................................................................................................93 Patience............................................................................................................................. 97 Hope..................................................................................................................................105 Peace.................................................................................................................................109 Gratitude .........................................................................................................................121 Truth ............................................................................................................................... 125 Abundance ......................................................................................................................130

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FREEDOM

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Soaring through the air with joy in your heart.

When you are free from something that someone forces you to do.

If you could see freedom, it would look like a dove flying away.

Freedom would taste like chocolate, feel like silk; it would be white.

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Free flowing energy.

Freedom feels like an open gate.

Open your wings and fly.

Music is my freedom.

Freedom would feel like hay and sound like whishsh.

Freedom tastes like strawberries, smells like fresh air, looks like the sea.

I would be very grateful if I had freedom.

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Freedom and peace both depend on each other to show their full power.

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Zest for life is a virtue. Try new things every day: we need to get out there and develop our zest for life and that will bring joy for years to come.

To have vitality for life is to be energetic in your life and appreciate all the small things that may seem insignificant in life.

To have vitality in life is when you enjoy every single aspect of life and everything that it is.

If I was to add another word I would add energy.

To me it is an excellent quality to have positive energy and a positive outlook on everything.

If you have positive energy you are happy and free and content.

It is important to be yourself and for me energy is the key to life.

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When you are happy or with someone you love you can push all that away and feel free and live completely in the moment.

Pictures of my family, friends and pets, a comfortable place, loads of bean bags and cushions, through the windows and doors a lovely beach.

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On holidays, lying in the grass sipping a cold drink, the sun is setting but the warmth of the day remains. Albatross by Fleetwood Mac is playing nearby - the laziest song in the world. There is nothing I have to do and nowhere I have to be.

I feel so warm and relaxed and comfortable. I am completely free.

I opened the door and there it was: the fresh breeze on my face.

Little speckles of water from the waterfall drop on my feet. I pick something up: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baby blue with green spots randomly placed.

I drop it and six legs came out and it scatters away.

Everything was so beautiful but weird - it was amazing. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen so many random colours in one place. In the sky the clouds were pink and the grass was not green but purple. There were things looking like cats but they were red with only two legs. Up in the sky what looked like a fly was a red and yellow bird. I love this place but I knew I had to go.

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Everyone should have the right to be free and live their life to the fullest.

Someone skydiving from a planet really high up.

You need to be free to reach all others. Freedom is in yourself.

Even if you cannot control your circumstances you can have freedom in your mind.

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Everyone should have the freedom to make choices and mistakes.

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To be free from bad things.

Everyone has freedom - but you have to know how to find it.

Freedom means you have the right to live your life the way you want to, with responsibilities.

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Passion is life: without it we are nothing.

Love, beauty, freedom, truth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it all comes back to passion.

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LOVE

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Without love you would be lost.

The sound of a butterfly.

Love would feel soft and gentle, taste of lust.

Someone kissing or holding hands.

A flower, because when it blooms love is there.

A place full of everyone I know.

Love is happiness.

Love is when your heart pounds fast.

Like bundles of smiles.

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Amor es cuando una persona ama a la otra, es un sentimiento que te entra al coraz贸n. En la vida hay diferentes tipos de amor como el amor para tu familia tu mam谩 y tu papa el otro amor por nos mejores amigos que te ayaudan en cualquier cosa.

El amor es una palabra de Dios para que las personas se lo digan a las otras para que se pongan contenta.

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Tattered teddy bear

a child drags it everywhere lifelong companion.

Love is very special and it is always important to know that you are loved - no matter what.

No-one can be themselves without love.

Love is powerful - it can change a person. I see love everywhere.

My favourite things are football and rugby - scoring a goal, winning a try!

My pet is there when I come home from school, home from training, home from everywhere.

Love is something strong: a rock that is hard to break ... but it can be brokenâ&#x20AC;Ś

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Love forms a person: you need love.

If you have love for everything around you, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get love back and everything else will fit into place.

Buster: When I go home from school he gets so excited that he jumps up on the couch to get as close to me as possible.

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Why are you waiting? Take my hand and run away I love you, you know.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just like heaven.

Feel your body close to mine: dancing with you now.

Love is like a river.

It can kill and save someone.

It is so powerful.

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Love is when you get this amazing feeling.

It makes you feel you are on top of the world.

Nothing can stop you - love makes you so tingly.

I love a great game of football: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best in the world.

The galaxy is massive with a billion stars so high.

The love you have for your family or for your loved ones: when I think of love I think of family and someone who I love, someone who is close to me.

I love love songs!

The new mother smiles down at her new baby girl eyes shining stars.

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A child hugs his bear.

A man adores his woman.

Love is all around.

Love hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t and will not grow old: the most important aspect of life.

Love is sunshine and rain.

The reason to live and to die.

If you have love for everything around youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get love back and everything else will fit into place.

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BEAUTY

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Beauty is a strong word.

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Beauty would taste like honey.

It would feel soft, warm and cosy.

A family together laughing.

Blue and bright purple.

It would sound like waves crashing.

Beauty is a light that never ceases to shine: I love beauty.

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Beauty is within, but people take advantage: beauty is abused.

The warm sunset like a warm sunset glows, like a candle flickering in a room at night.

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Beauty would smell like roses; the air on a summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day in the morning.

Freshly cut grass.

A harp playing.

Candy floss!

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When I opened the door I saw the most beautiful landscape.

It was dark and the moonlight was shining a purple glow on everything. The ground felt velvety and really soft like marshmallows.

There were many trees all glowing with flowers like those things on a stem that you blow to make a wish and all float up. It was nice and calm and there was a cool breeze blowing. I sat under a tree and just looked at anything and everything. I saw there was no noise it was just really peaceful. It smelt like vanilla candles. I picked up a small mushroom that was glowing and glistening, it felt really soft and gentle.

I decided that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d come back when I wanted to and when I was in need of relaxation.

I closed the door and locked it, put the key in my pocket and walked away.

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Beautyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a piece of art that someone will love some day, it will make you smile.

Beauty on the inside as well as the out.

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I walk through the door. I feel it gets warmer straight away but there is a cool breeze which is very relaxing. I look all around me and there is a meadow with horses and monkeys and all sorts of different types of animals. There is a massive lake with rocks all around so if you wanted you could jump in off the rocks. There is a waterfall running straight into the lake and there are rocks around the waterfall.

I decide to climb up the rocks and I am sitting at the very top of the waterfall watching it gush down the lake.

I feel little drips of water splash on my face as I lie down. I take in deep breaths and it smells like the air on a fresh summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s morning.

There are hot springs beside the lake and they feel just like Jacuzzis. There are forests just past the meadows and in there I can hear all sorts of different animals and just beyond the forest are mountains that go up past the clouds. I feel very warm so without knowing what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing I get up and dive down the waterfall. As I hit the water if feels ice cold, but in a good way.

It feels so refreshing and I feel so clean - like the water is cleaning my body and skin.

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An Angel from heaven.

Beauty is the way people want to be.

The way I look at my self.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sunset in the morning.

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I am on a long beach, with golden sand and mountains living all around.

I am very warm and when my bare feet touch the water it cools and I feel more relaxed.

And when I pick the stone out of the water it is cool and really smooth.

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JOY

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Even when there is something bad in the world there is always joy and happiness.

The realization of what you have brings great happiness.

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endless amount of fun - like scoring a goal.

Joy gives you motivation for yourself and those around you.

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Woo hoo, jump for joy!

Joy brings happiness, woo hoo!

Happiness brings joy!

Being with a friend or family.

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Be aware of everyone around you and the environment.

Live your life.

Enjoy every day: make the most of it and cherish every moment.

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AWARENESS

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Most bad things happen because people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fully aware of what they are doing and the impact it is having.

If everyone is aware of the precise minute impact they have, then people would treat each other better.

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If there was more awareness in the world we would be able to do more to help people in need. There would not be as much discrimination.

We should be more aware about people in poorer countries like Haiti and other Third World countries.

Awareness is the key to our behaviour, emotions and understanding.

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Be aware of everyone around you and the environment.

We need to be aware that there is enough food in the world but that does not mean that everyone has some.

No matter how bad things get for us there is always someone worse off.

A good self awareness has a positive vibe.

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SIMPLICITY

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Tax man taken all my dough and left me in my stately home lazing on a sunny afternoon I can’t even sell my yacht he’s taken all I’ve got all except this sunny afternoon all except a sunny afternoon.

-The Kinks Even a simple smile can make a huge difference.

Chips and Domino’s - simplicity at its best better than anything.

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the simple things, like a comfortable bed, that make up a lifeâ&#x20AC;Ś I saw a forest full of leaves.

A bag of chips and a chicken burger.

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We forget about the simplicity in life and we let ourselves overcomplicate things and we also forget how simple the truth is and how the truth makes life easier. We need to remember that life isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t complicated. It is also connected to freedom: when you are free life is simple, and everything is simple and clear when we are free within ourselves.

The simplest answer is usually the best one.

We should always keep things as straight forward and basic as possible. If we do that everything in life will soon become nice and simple.

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COMPASSION

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You must not lose faith in humanity.

Humanity is an ocean: if a few drops of the ocean are dirty the ocean does not become dirty.

Compassion is everywhere.

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Compassion can bring incredible creativity.

Compassion would be white if it was a colour for a symbol it would be a unicorn’s horn it would smell like chocolate sauce it would sound like the sea it would feel like soft sponge it would taste like Turkish delight.

Peace and love won’t die. They make the world a better place – it starts with you.

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PATIENCE

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I believe patience is a good characteristic.

It's important in life because if you are impatient, you not only put stress on yourself, but stress on others.

To be patient is to be kind to people.

To be patient is to be calm.

I think patience is the most important one. I think so because if we had more patience in the world there wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be so much greed and people wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want wars to take things over. They would just wait for it to happen.

A patient mother waits as her child takes its first steps footprints on her heart.

A person has to work hard for it, but a minute of perfection was worth it.

Patience is worth it: except for the doctor. Then you can be scared!

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Not to rush. Wait.

Taking your time out to think.

We should always have patience to wait for things.

For me patience is a very important thing in life.

To have the quality of patience is a very good thing.

I believe that rushing things and people turns out to have bad results.

It is important to sit back and relax and let the world flow by.

When you relax and you are patient the world is a better place.

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HOPE

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The road that is built on hope is more pleasant to the traveller than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination.

-Marian Zimmer Bradley

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The colour of hope would be snow white.

It would feel like a butterflyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feathers.

Its symbol would be a pearl.

Hope would feel like a velvet cloud but not too soft.

It would be the colour purple.

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PEACE

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You need peace for happiness.

Peace is good - it makes everyone happy.

Please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look back: the world has had some tough times.

Time for a fresh start.

The sun rays tickle my face like feathers as I rest on the warm sand.

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Peace is when there’s no fighting, no rude words and no talking. When you are calm and you are alone, you’re peaceful.

If you pray you have peace and if it’s silent in your class it is peaceful.

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Peace is wonderful

sitting on a sunrise beach alone and waiting.

If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.

-Michael Jackson I think that whatever the colour of your skin, your race or your background we should all be treated equally.

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Peace rarely feels present for more than five minutes, it’s a difficult thing to find a sense of peace within but there are brief moments when we find it – it’s special.

All any one person can do is spread the Love and spread the Peace.

Support is one theme I would add, we all need support.

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GRATITUDE

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Being appreciative of others.

Thanks by a thousand - it shows you really care you did a good thing.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to be grateful for the things you have.

A lily.

I was in a room. The word gratitude was right in front of me. It was really big. I was walking past the word and I stood on something.

It felt very small. I looked down and it was a tiny flower made of gold. I picked the flower and started to walk around the other side. On the other side I saw a door. On the door was a place where a golden flower sat. The door clicked open. I went inside - it was like another world.

There were lots and lots of flowers all around me.

The realization of what you have gives a sense of happiness.

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TRUTH

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Truth makes everything clear, has no wrong.

Tell the truth and you’ll be fine.

Being truthful means you are a good person and you will live a good life.

Everyone should be true to themselves and believe that they can do anything.

We should always be honest with everyone and yourself, so people know how you feel about things.

When the truth is hard to handle, everything around you feels like it’s hard.

To be truthful is to be good and when you are good it’s the most comforting thing in the world.

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Sometimes we do not answer truth when it calls us - itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice when we do.

Truth is important: be honest whenever you can. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lie, tell the truth.

Truth is a soft, relaxing place with a waterfall. It is covered in a pale blue and baby pink cosy, soft cushions all over the ground.

Without truth it makes living hard and unpleasant. If people are true with each other it makes life easier.

If you are not true to yourself then who are you?

To be happy you have to be true to yourself.

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ABUNDANCE

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I came that they may have life and have it abundantly, Jesus said.

There is abundance of love, compassion, simplicity, beauty, freedom, honesty, truth and all others.

-St John 10:10

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Life is abundant itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s freely given to all and we cherish it.

Abundance blossoms its elegant petals spread enough to go round.

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When I open the door with the silver key, a warm breeze rushed over and almost knocked me off my feet.

The place I saw was magical. I stepped in, breathing in the fresh air.

The first thing I saw was a huge waterfall, the water was leaving into a big crystal lake.

I was standing on a beach, I looked around and spotted a large blue flower on the ground. I picked it up and looked at it in the topaz lake.

Then I took off my sandals and jumped in, still in my clothes. I could see to the bottom - it was perfectly clear.

I swam across the lake to the waterfall. I was careful not to swim into the current.

I climbed up to the right of the waterfall, sat down and took it all in.

It’s warm all around me. I can see greens, blues purples and pinks. It’s beautiful in a very ugly way - everything is leafy and alive.

There is a big, long path. I’m at the end I can see my way home.

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www.newparkschool.ie

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