Happy World Friendship Day!
By Simran Divatia
I remember when I first met my best friend, I knew her just as well as any of my other co-workers. This all changed when one day, out of the blue, she handed me a cup of my favourite coffee. It was a little moment of random kindness that I had never expected or asked for, but she did it all the same. The next time we had a work day together, I got her a coffee instead. And back and forth over and over again, until suddenly we have been best friends for four years, and I drink my coffee while sitting on her sofa, chatting and laughing. It is the tiniest moments when you do something nice that can suddenly set a friendship in motion.
Today is World Friendship Day! It’s a time to celebrate the friendships we have made and maintained over the years, and show the people we care about how important they are to us. The books that children read will influence how they interact with others they meet and the kind of people they will grow into. Books can encourage and remind children of the importance of friendship, empathy, and being kind. This is a message we at Tiny Owl feel strongly about, and our books show it! Think of the lovely elephant in The Elephant’s Umbrella! He is willing to share his shelter with anyone he meets, for no reason other than to help them stay dry in the rain. Or consider how in The Orange House the new houses had to try to understand how the Orange House was feeling about losing her old friends, and made sure they looked after her. Other books like A Bottle of Happiness and Thinker: My Puppy Poet and Me also emphasise the importance of sharing and friendship.
A small act of kindness goes a long way, and it does not take much time at all to consider what others might be feeling or what they might need to make them feel better! It was not my friend buying me coffee that sparked our friendship, but instead that she was thoughtful enough to go out of her way to do something for me. It doesn’t need to cost a single penny! Cheer somebody up if they’re having a bad day, give them a compliment, tell them what they mean to you!
Let all take today as a chance to be compassionate to everyone around us, and encourage children to do the same. Who knows, maybe today is the day you meet your new best friend!
Simran is an intern with Tiny Owl Publishing
- Download free posters for The Elephant’s Umbrella and A Bottle of Happiness
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A Bottle of Happiness
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