The white-spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus)

This is a funny looking fella. Today’s sketch of the day in my monologue art journal is of an inflated white-spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus)

It is a medium to large-sized puffer fish, it can reach 50 cm length. It is light grey in color, or greyish or yellowish, and clearly covered with more or less regular white points, that become concentric contrasting white and dark grey lines that radiate around the eyes and pectoral fins. The ventral part is white. The “shoulder” (around the pectoral fins) is dark, what is another distinctive feature of this species. It also has concentric contrasting white and dark grey lines that radiate around the eyes and pectoral fins. ~ Wikipedia

We asked you to tell us the 5 most important things to teach children about peace…and have gotten lots of great ideas!

Here are the results so far:

Ms. Vee 1-Do not be a bully 2-Be kind and share 3-Don’t be afraid to get to know someone because they look different 4-Offer assistance if you see someone needs a helping hand 5-Don’t hang around with a crowd of trouble makers

mishunderstood 1. Speak peacefully. 2. Acknowledge and validate children’s feelings…whether sad, mad or otherwise. 3. Respond. The brain of a small child has elasticity. This is the most opportune time for change. Every time you respond to their pain, stress, sadness, etc. in a positive way it helps to form pathways that will last a lifetime and contribute to their mental health. 4. Expose them to nature. Nature works as a system of cooperation. Life thrives in nature. 5. Be…

(2) There are ALWAYS two choices: love or fear. If you want peace then CHOOSE LOVE.

Love leads to peace. So how do you know you’ve chosen love rather than fear? Its easy — you will be at peace with the decision. There may seem to be chaos for a time around your decision. But you will be at peace. So what good is fear? Fear shows us the boundaries we should establish so that we can love freely without being hurt or surrendering our right to a peaceful existence.

Very young children don’t need to be taught this. They know who they want to hug or play with. We as adults sometimes teach them otherwise. If a child’s instinct said love this coyote from a distance — would we as adults insist the child hug the coyote? Hopefully not. If a child’s instinct said to love one of our friends or relatives…