Happy Lunar New Year

When I volunteered at my daughter’s second-grade class today to teach them about Lunar New Year, my parents and I gave out paper lanterns with lights inside to represent welcoming the brilliance of what the future can hold…

I asked the students what they’d like to wish for.

Each of the 20+ kids had an opportunity to share.

Do you know what most of them said?

“I want to feel safe.”

Safe.

Not wishing for more ice cream or for a puppy or for a trip to Disneyland, but instead, “I want to feel safe.”

And, “I don’t want anymore war.”

And, “I want the war in the Ukraine to stop.”

I take a deep breath as I write this. As I reflect upon the violence over the last few days. As I wonder, where did all the innocence go?

My parents and I did my best to create magic today.

We told a story of how the 12 Zodiac animals came to be, and my mother made paper cut out animals to anchor the tale.

We taught them how to use a Chinese calligraphy brush and write the word “luck” in Mandarin.

My father made homemade red bean buns in the shape of bunnies to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

We brought a homemade dragon (!!) to each of the classrooms, playing traditional Chinese music.

We gave out red envelopes, explained why kids receive them, and taught them about the Taiwanese coins inside.

I hope that simply by sharing, by engaging these kids, they will foster more compassion into adulthood to celebrate diversity at its best.

May we all feel safe.

May we all feel seen.

May we all feel protected.

May we all feel forgiven.

May we all feel love.

Happy Lunar New Year 4719.