(Letting Go When Holding On Feels Justified) It had been a rough week for Emil. Ever since he was made class monitor—a responsibility he took seriously—he’d tried his best to be fair, respectful, and calm under pressure. But yesterday, something shifted. During group work, Emil had reminded his classmate Amir to stay on task. Amir, […]
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Peace
It began with whispers. Not loud enough to be called bullying— Just enough to silence others. His name was Rayan. Sharp with words, quiet with power. He didn’t push or shout. He didn’t need to. “If you answer before me, I’ll tell the teacher you cheated.” “If you don’t give me your spot, I’ll make
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Relationship
(Responding When We Know Someone Has Failed) By the fig tree again, the lesson unfolded in silence before it was spoken. The summer air was heavy with tension. Emil sat beneath the fig tree, the one place he could think clearly, his eyes fixed on a letter crumpled in his hand. His friend Zayd had
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Justice
(How We Treat Others When Given Control) —— It started on a rainy Thursday morning when Emil was chosen as the classroom monitor for the week. He was proud. It was the first time his teacher, Mrs. Fallon, had entrusted him with the role: keeping the class quiet when she stepped out, reporting any mischief,
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Leadership
The fig tree was quiet that afternoon, but the village square was not. A crowd had gathered by the school steps. Laughter echoed—sharp and cold. Emil stood at the edge, his hands clenched, heart thumping. In the center stood Amin, a shy boy with stuttering speech, trying to explain something while a few classmates mimicked
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Uncategorized
(The Power and Responsibility of Words) ———— The wind whispered through the olive trees as Emil and his grandfather sat under their favorite fig tree, watching the valley stretch endlessly below. A shepherd’s distant call echoed through the air, soft and rhythmic, like a song the mountains had known for centuries. Emil picked up a
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Wisdom
The village school had chosen its new class representative: Emil. At twelve, Emil had always been quick-witted and observant. Teachers saw in him a natural spark, and classmates followed his lead with ease. But with the badge of leadership pinned to his chest came eyes—watchful, expectant, and sometimes hungry for direction. “Leadership,” his grandfather once
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Leadership
The sun hung low over the hills, casting long golden shadows on the dusty path. Emil walked alongside his grandfather, their sandals brushing through dry leaves. They were on their way to the old well near the orchard—a walk Grandfather called “a walk to draw wisdom.” “Grandpa,” Emil said, after a long silence. “Why do
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Leadership
It was a cool morning after a night of spring rain, and Emil walked beside his grandfather along the edge of an overgrown path. They were headed to the old stone library at the edge of town, a place few visited anymore, its wisdom covered in dust. “Grandfather,” Emil said, adjusting the straps of his
The Test of Meaning Read More »
Wisdom
Emil sat on a stone wall, legs dangling, eyes burning—not with tears, but with something deeper. Anger. A story had unraveled in the village below—someone falsely accused, shamed in the public square, while the real offender walked free. Emil clenched his fists. “Why didn’t anyone speak up?” he asked. “Why didn’t we?” His grandfather sat
The Test of Injustice (Injustice and Inner Integrity) Read More »
Justice