Top of the Heap!

We are all a grand collection of life, yet to be revealed.

Monday's Riddle shined the light on our conscious awareness, pointing us to our own true stories. Fairday reviewed Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine, which told the tale of a young girl from Czechoslovakia, who was lost to the world, and then brought back to life again by a group of people looking into her empty suitcase. Friday, we will be hosting an interview with Michelle Isenhoff, author of the middle grade historical fiction novel, Beneath the Slashings. It will be great to learn a little more about her story, so be sure to check back!

It's hard not to see the common thread of life's lessons. They are forever revealed along our collective timeline. We thought it would be interesting to point out a little history that has taught us something that impacts our own lives. Lessons that need no definition, they are actually an agreed upon feeling that every person can understand.

This week's top of the heap: Great connections that lead to life's lessons : ) 

Fairday: I think we can all agree that it's nice to be free, and so I have to go with a life lesson reinforced by the famous ship, La Amistad. Just like Hana's suitcase, the Freedom Schooner Amistad is a replica of the original, built to remind us of the atrocities of slavery. We can all relate to why the slaves overthrew their captors and demanded to be set free. Who wouldn't? How can you ever own a person? A human being is no thing. Today, the message of freedom continues to spread around the world, enriching our minds and setting our paths in order. Being myself is inevitable, and life is free- shouldn't we all be? ~ F

Lizzy: I have been thinking about this for a while now, and it's been very interesting to see where my thoughts have taken me. One lesson everyone can agree upon is how important it is to be safe. The story of the Titanic reinforces this message, and today people are more aware of collective measures to protect themselves in a positive way. Through the objects left behind, and the stories from the people who survived the tragedy, the scene of that fateful event is clear. Once we learn about each other, our humanness comes more clearly into focus. For me, it's tremendously hard to imagine that there weren't enough life boats on board just because it didn't look appealing, and that some people, because of their class status, weren't  allowed to try to save themselves. Today, ships are safer- people are safer, and that is commonly accepted because it just makes sense. The media spreads the news, bringing an understanding of why events happen, how they affect us, and what we can do to make life better for everyone- because, inside, we are all the same, and life is precious- regardless of ascetics. ~ L