8th Grade Shines

Every month 8th-grade students write queries for the rest of the school to consider during Wednesday Meeting for Worship. This month students were asked to write queries exploring our month-long Meeting for Worship focus on Darkness and Light.
 
After seeking inspiration from a variety of poems, essays, Hanukkah, and Christmas homilies, they worked together to write and refine their ideas. Thank you to Teacher Carl for providing space, time, and support for developing their thinking.
 
We are honored to share these queries with you in hopes that they bring Light to you at this time of the year with the fewest hours of sunlight.

Saije Milligan-Swinney
Saije 

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary” -- Aaron Rose. 

At this time of year, it seems that there is no room for light, but there is always room for some sort of spiritual light. Everyone is capable of shining their own light in a unique way. Letting your light shine can not only make you feel better, it can also make someone else's day better. 

How can you shine your light in a positive way when someone needs it the most?

 

William Murray
William

“Don't try to solve serious matters in the middle of the night.” -- Philip K. Dick.

I sometimes think about other people and their problems in the middle of the night. It makes me not fall asleep. Sometimes I need to focus on myself instead of other people because my health is more important than drama. 

How can I take care of myself without being caught up in a situation?


Azra Ciceksay
Azra

“I think wholeness comes from living your life consciously during the day and then exploring your inner life or unconscious at night.” -- Margery Cuyler.

During this month, it seems that we get less time to be ourselves during the day and more time to think about ourselves and our actions at night. The night seems to be a sign of sadness, or sign of darkness, but really, it is a great time to reflect on yourself and understand yourself better by observing what you did during the day. 

How can you think about your actions and reflect on yourself?

 

Kyle Chan
Kyle

I practice Christianity, in the hopes that one day I can become a Christian. I pray every night and use the Bible for reference during tough times, when I'm stuck, or when I need some guidance. I simply have to trust that God will lead me to where I want to be one day. I try to follow the rules set to make sure I can become a true person. I also share my practices with my family in hopes that they’ll join me, but for the most part, I practice my spiritual life alone. 

What do you do to better yourself and are you willing to do it alone?


Gauri Kulshreshtha
Gauri

“Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong?’ Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.” -- Charles M. Schulz

Sometimes the world goes too fast and we try to fix all our problems in such a short amount of time, which, in turn, can cause us to be prone to being more stressed. Giving ourselves time and some breathing room to seriously look at our problems can be insightful with what we need for ourselves. 

How do you take care of yourself and have you realised something about yourself due to that insight?