Every Knight Matters
Weekly Wellness Newsletter
October 31, 2022
GOALS FOR THE WEEK
WEEKLY WORDS OF WISDOM
BUILDING BRIDGES, NOT WALLS
BRIDGES are amazing structures. They allow us to cross obstacles like rivers and vast ravines. BRIDGES are a conduit that takes us from point A to point B. BRIDGES are beautiful like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco or an old covered BRIDGE in New England. BRIDGES are old and ancient like the Rialto bridge in Venice which was built in 1173 or the Arkadiko Bridge in Greece which is possibly 3,300 years old. BRIDGES are essential to our lives. What would our world be like without BRIDGES?
There are figurative BRIDGES in our lives, too. We might use a bridge to help us cross into new experience or challenging situation. We might create a BRIDGE to make connections with people who we may or may not have in common. We might create a BRIDGE to bring people together. The BRIDGES we BUILD help to widen our perspectives and world.
Sometimes, instead of BUILDING BRIDGES, we build walls. We might build a wall because we don’t agree with someone or because someone dresses or looks different than you. We might build a wall because someone supports a different football team than you. We might build a wall because it might help us feel safer. The funny thing is that a wall prevents connection and creates isolation. That wall becomes an obstacle.
However, think about how BRIDGES help us to become more aware of what is on truly on the other side of a situation. BRIDGES take us to new places and experiences. They provide a way for people to meet halfway or cross together. BRIDGES bring people together who may never have met because of circumstances or differences. BRIDGES are a pathway for us to gain UNDERSTANDING.
This week, we’d like you and your family to connect with your awareness and think about how we can BUILD BRIDGES towards UNDERSTANDING. We are going to meaningfully connect with the people in our lives and learn new things. We are going to find ways to thoughtfully explore how we can connect with people who you may not be as familiar and are different than you and find common threads. BUILDING BRIDGES, instead of building walls, creates a place for acceptance, connection, inclusion, and celebration. This is why BUILDING BRIDGES matters.
FAMILY FOCUS
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
We believe that education is a relationship business. Building connections with students is our primary job. The truth is, without great connections, great learning will not occur. This is also true of how we interact with our peers, colleagues, family, and friends. In a world that is sharply divided on seemingly every topic, the more we can break down walls and extend helping hands of understanding, the better we can work together. Let's do everything we can to build bridges in our lives! This week, take some time as a family to discuss the following questions.
- What might be some commonalities between you and the people around you?
- What might be some unique qualities between you and the people around you?
- How have you BUILT BRIDGES in your life?
- How might seeking to UNDERSTAND be a “bridge”? Do you think it’s possible to BUILD BRIDGES between yourself and others who have different backgrounds, experiences or beliefs? Why might you think so?
- How can you actively BUILD BRIDGES between yourself, friends, family and people in your community?
- What could be one step in BUILDING a BRIDGE with someone you may not know very well?
- Why might BUILDING BRIDGES be challenging?
- What would the world be like if we all chose to BUILD A BRIDGE?
- How does actively BUILDING BRIDGES to create UNDERSTANDING show how much and why we MATTER?