StardustBy Jada Rivera for KidSpirit's Reality and Perception issue.
The shadow-dipped universe stares at me
Its million glowing eyes never losing mine
It knows my mind
It knows my soul
We feel the pain
Posted by KidSpirit Online on March 20, 2020
The Missing “E” in Human
Posted by KidSpirit Online on March 10, 2020
By Adya Sarin for KidSpirit's Education Issue.
It’s important to be humane and not simply a human. The only difference (literally) is the “e,” and that missing “e” is empathy.
Empathy is something that we lack in today’s world. People aren’t ready to notice everyone around them, and often forget to help somebody in need. At our school, we try to break this problem that has now become a norm. We believe that everyone is a citizen leader and will leave the school to be a good person, not in the world but for the world. The process that embeds this spirit in us is known as citizenship.
From doing seva (service) for the environment around us . . .
Submission for Salvation
Posted by KidSpirit Online on February 25, 2020
By Fizza Raza for KidSpirit's Fulfillment Issue
In the heart, there is a sense of loneliness,
there is fear and anxiety,
there is regret,
there is a sense of longing,
all of which can only be removed by complete submission to the will of Allah.
— Imam Ibn al-Qayyim
These are the words of a contemporary Islamic philosopher . . .
Is Anxiety a Way of Life for Our Generation?
Posted by KidSpirit Online on February 12, 2020
By Uday Schultz for KidSpirit's Fear and Anxiety Issue.
We are the generation of stress. Generation Z, the Post-Millenials, Gen Tech, the young people of today — we are, more than seemingly ever before, dissatisfied and worried by our realities.
Since a low in 2007, the 15-24 cohort suicide rate has risen by almost 50 percent. This finding fits with a generation which reports poor mental health as the state of the majority, symptoms of anxiety to be almost universally present, and mass violence a major concern. Our generation was to grow up empowered by technology and a changing, globalizing society, but that picture has darkened; we are destroying ourselves with our minds.
My Multicultural Upbringing
Posted by KidSpirit Online on January 20, 2020
By Emilija Krysén for KidSpirit's Education issue.
Our cultural upbringing shapes the narratives we tell and greatly influences our views of the world.
Growing up as a third culture kid, I often struggled with this part of my identity. A third culture kid is someone who has never lived in the places that they come from. For context, my mother comes from Lithuania and my father comes from Sweden. We lived in Russia for seven and a half years before moving to Switzerland, where we have resided since.
Tell Me Your World: Why Are Humans Drawn to Stories?
Posted by KidSpirit Online on December 22, 2019
By Abraham Weitzman for Kidspirit's Storytelling and Narative Issue.
I have one grandparent, my Papa Dan. He tells my family stories all the time.
Most of his stories come from his decades of working construction in New York City. He worked on bridges and in tunnels. He worked on schools and hospitals. He put the lights on top of the Citicorp building. My Papa worked everywhere. He tells us about these experiences because the stories are entertaining. They also teach us about the kind of person he is, and the kind of people we should be.
Through the Eyes of Hope
Posted by KidSpirit Online on December 9, 2019
By Steffany Melgarejo for KidSpirit's Society and the Individual Issue
Everyone has different experiences and stories, and therefore a very different perspective on life.
Observing the daily routine of people in my community, I can see a great variety of people: some in a hurry or worried, others enjoying life, and some whose eyes radiate happiness or transmit a great sadness. However, I think that there is something that unites many of us in Paraguay, regardless of the situation, age, type of person, or other external factors: religion.
In Paraguay, the Catholic religion is an integral part of our culture. . . .
Tikkun Olam
Posted by KidSpirit Online on November 26, 2019
By Sofia Mesh for KidSpirit's Society and the Individual Issue.
My first day of Hebrew school was very eventful, to say the least.
I begged my father not to take me because I had heard horror stories from my sister, who had been in Hebrew school for two years already. She told me about the packets and packets of Hebrew writing and reading I would have to do. More work, I thought; third grade was already stressful enough! My dad dragged me into school/temple by the wrist while tears streamed down my face. I thought the tears might persuade him to take me home, but to no avail. We went to the sixth floor, down a long hall, and into room three. The tantrum I threw beforehand meant I got to Hebrew school 45 minutes late and missed all the packet work, but I was in time for the hour-long Judaic Studies session with my teacher, Sara.
Although at the time I didn't look forward to going to Hebrew school, . . .
The Crescent and I
Posted by KidSpirit Online on November 8, 2019
By Abdullah Sayed for KidSpirit's Education issue.
Though I live in the middle of the multicultural metropolis of the world, Queens, I find it hard to imagine that any of my non-Muslim friends are truly familiar with the faith to which I attribute so much of my personal development.
I do not blame any of them, though. How can I? In the 21st century, Islamic radicalism is the bogeyman that captivates the public’s imagination. As such, it seems every mention of Islam in the public space that is not Islamophobic is instead about how Islam is a religion of peace. Well-intentioned though they may be, everyone is so concerned about disassociating Islam from violence that no one actually knows what Islam is about. Americans should not just identify Islam as a religion of peace, but also as a doctrine of humility and discipline.
Five times a day, hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world
The Commodification of Spirituality
Posted by KidSpirit Online on October 22, 2019
By Lucy Liversidge for KidSpirit's Reality and Perception Issue.
Suddenly, it is Sunday night. Forty-eight hours of respite dwindle to a few more minutes. Deep breath in through my mouth. Hold it. And out through my nose. Once more.
The smell of burning sage, carried in wisps about the room . . .
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About This Blog
Young people are brimming with vision and prophetic wisdom. This blog features 11- to 17-year-olds in deep and often surprising explorations of spiritual life. Their original writing and artwork was first published in KidSpirit, the sole spiritual magazine by and for global youth. Their words call us to approach eternal questions with wonder. More