The Beginnings of FaithThe Beginnings of Faith

Section D 2Section D 2

ReflectioReflectionn

Leisure by H W Davies.Leisure by H W Davies.TIME TO STAND AND STARETIME TO STAND AND STARE

What is this life if, full of care,What is this life if, full of care,We have no time to stand and We have no time to stand and

stare?stare?No time to stand beneath the No time to stand beneath the

boughsboughsAnd stare as long as sheep or And stare as long as sheep or

cows.cows.No time to see, when woods we No time to see, when woods we

pass,pass,Where squirrels hide their nuts in Where squirrels hide their nuts in

grass.grass.No time to see, in broad daylight,No time to see, in broad daylight,Streams full of stars, like skies at Streams full of stars, like skies at

night.night.A poor life this if, full of care,A poor life this if, full of care,We have no time to stand and We have no time to stand and

stare.stare.

What do you think the poet is What do you think the poet is trying to say about life?trying to say about life?

The poet uses a lot of images The poet uses a lot of images from nature. Why do you think from nature. Why do you think this is so?this is so?

Do you agree with the poets Do you agree with the poets words: “A poor life this if, full of words: “A poor life this if, full of care we have no time to stand care we have no time to stand and stare”? Why / why not?and stare”? Why / why not?

Asking questions – finding Asking questions – finding answers inanswers in reflection reflection

When we take time to reflect in life When we take time to reflect in life we get great benefitswe get great benefits

• e.g awareness of…e.g awareness of…

• second chances…second chances…

• opportunity to make improvements …opportunity to make improvements …

• Can you complete the sentences?Can you complete the sentences?

Awe and Wonder Awe and Wonder

Sometimes people Sometimes people are able to look are able to look back and recognise back and recognise that a certain that a certain experience filled experience filled them with them with awe and awe and wonderwonder and made and made them ask them ask questionsquestions about about the mystery of life. the mystery of life.

Learning to sailLearning to sailIt had all been worth it. For four days I had struggled to get It had all been worth it. For four days I had struggled to get the hang of sailing. There had been days when I had spent the hang of sailing. There had been days when I had spent more time in the water than on the boat and I had wondered more time in the water than on the boat and I had wondered if I would ever get to grips with this new sport. But, today it if I would ever get to grips with this new sport. But, today it had all come together. Everything had fallen into place and I had all come together. Everything had fallen into place and I had been able to sail around the island without capsizing had been able to sail around the island without capsizing once. For the first time, as we sailed towards the quay I once. For the first time, as we sailed towards the quay I became aware of the beauty around me: of the evening sun became aware of the beauty around me: of the evening sun bathing the mountains in a soft light, of the seagulls bobbing bathing the mountains in a soft light, of the seagulls bobbing up and down on the gentle waves, of the elegance of the up and down on the gentle waves, of the elegance of the sailing boats around me as we sailed for home. All that sailing boats around me as we sailed for home. All that beauty filled me with awe and wonder.beauty filled me with awe and wonder.

As I looked around I began to reflect: Who creates this As I looked around I began to reflect: Who creates this beauty? Is it nature or is it God? As I sailed for homebeauty? Is it nature or is it God? As I sailed for homeI began to question where the beauty in our world I began to question where the beauty in our world came from.came from.

• What did the author notice for What did the author notice for notice for the first time as she notice for the first time as she sailed towards the quay?sailed towards the quay?

• How did the beauty of the evening How did the beauty of the evening affect her?affect her?

• What questions did she reflect on?What questions did she reflect on?

Mystery of LifeMystery of Life

• People sometimes say People sometimes say that personal that personal experiences have experiences have made them made them wonderwonder and and reflectreflect on the on the mystery of lifemystery of life. .

• Have any of the Have any of the experiences listed experiences listed below made you below made you reflect on mystery in reflect on mystery in life?life?

Life Experiences:Life Experiences: Life Experiences:Life Experiences:

Beauty of natureBeauty of nature SicknessSickness

Reading a bookReading a book HolidaysHolidays

Listening to musicListening to music Learning a new Learning a new hobbyhobby

A BirthA Birth Being involved in a Being involved in a car accidentcar accident

A DeathA Death A friendship A friendship breaking upbreaking up

ActivityActivity

Discuss with your partner and describe Discuss with your partner and describe how two of these experiences made you how two of these experiences made you reflect on life.reflect on life.Life Experiences:Life Experiences: ReflectionReflection on Experience:on Experience:

•Have you ever been filled with awe and wonder?•What questions did this experience cause you to ask?

• Read Unit 13 Ch 1Read Unit 13 Ch 1

Questioning - An Essential Questioning - An Essential Human CharacteristicHuman Characteristic

• All living things have certain common All living things have certain common characteristics. All living things, characteristics. All living things, however, are not equal.however, are not equal.

• The column on the next slide contains The column on the next slide contains a list of some of the characteristics of a list of some of the characteristics of living organisms. Tick the ones that living organisms. Tick the ones that apply to the categories of Plant Life, apply to the categories of Plant Life, Animal Life and Human Life Animal Life and Human Life

Plant Life Animal Life Human Life

Growth VV VV VVMovement VVReproduction

Respiration

Excretion

Communication

Relationships

Learning

Questioning

Thinking

Reflection -

• Is it safe to assume that the category with Is it safe to assume that the category with the most number of ticks is the most the most number of ticks is the most complex form of life? Justify your answer.complex form of life? Justify your answer.

• How many of the three categories show How many of the three categories show the characteristic of questioning?the characteristic of questioning?

• How important is the characteristic of How important is the characteristic of questioning to human beings? Explain questioning to human beings? Explain your answer.your answer.

Asking QuestionsAsking Questions• Life can often appear strange and Life can often appear strange and

confusing. There are many things about it confusing. There are many things about it that we cannot understand. Often we are that we cannot understand. Often we are left with many questions.left with many questions.

• Part of what makes us human is our ability Part of what makes us human is our ability to ask questions. We look at the world to ask questions. We look at the world around us and we wonder what's holding it around us and we wonder what's holding it in place. Who created it...?in place. Who created it...?

• We listen to the news. We see sad things We listen to the news. We see sad things happening. We wonder why this had to happening. We wonder why this had to happen.happen.

• When we ask questions it is a sign that we When we ask questions it is a sign that we are becoming mature, we are beginning to are becoming mature, we are beginning to look at life more deeply.look at life more deeply.

Questions people askQuestions people ask

• Can you suggest Can you suggest some questions some questions people ask?people ask?

SuggestionsSuggestions

• Who am I?Who am I?• Why is the wind invisible?Why is the wind invisible?• Why do people believ in God?Why do people believ in God?• Who is going to town?Who is going to town?• Why is there evil in the world?Why is there evil in the world?• Is it wrong to use animals for research?Is it wrong to use animals for research?• How do I get to the post office?How do I get to the post office?• Why are some people happier than others?Why are some people happier than others?• Why does the sun shine?Why does the sun shine?• Are we there yet?Are we there yet?

Questions humans ask at Questions humans ask at different stages in their life.different stages in their life.

• All of us have questions about our All of us have questions about our life, even from the time that we are life, even from the time that we are young children.young children.

• A few years ago you might have A few years ago you might have been asking 'What's Santa going to been asking 'What's Santa going to bring me for Christmas?' Now you bring me for Christmas?' Now you might be asking 'I wonder how I'll do might be asking 'I wonder how I'll do in my Junior Cert.?'in my Junior Cert.?'

Poem From a Three Year Old, Poem From a Three Year Old, Brendan KennellyBrendan Kennelly

And will the flowers die?And will the flowers die?And will the people die?And will the people die?And every day do you grow old, do IAnd every day do you grow old, do IGrow old, no I’m not old, doGrow old, no I’m not old, doFlowers grow old?Flowers grow old?Old things – do you throw them out?Old things – do you throw them out?Do you throw old people out?Do you throw old people out?And how do you know a flower that’s And how do you know a flower that’s

old?old?The petals fall, the petals fall from The petals fall, the petals fall from

flowers,flowers,And do the petals fall from people And do the petals fall from people

too?too?………………..………………And who will bring new flowers?And who will bring new flowers?And who will bring new people?And who will bring new people?And will the new young flowers die?And will the new young flowers die?And will the new young people die?And will the new young people die?And why?And why?

How many questions are asked How many questions are asked by the three year old?by the three year old?

What are these questions What are these questions about?about?

Which of these questions are Which of these questions are about the meaning of life?about the meaning of life?

What questions of meaning do What questions of meaning do teenagers ask?teenagers ask?

What questions of meaning do What questions of meaning do adults ask?adults ask?

• Many of the questions that people Many of the questions that people ask are about the ask are about the meaning of lifemeaning of life

The Search for MeaningThe Search for Meaning