Need A Map?



It was my first day at school. I felt nervous and scared.  I went to all my classes with no friends. It felt like no one cared.  I listened anxiously to all the lessons and waited for lunchbreak at one. Then finally the bell rang. It was time to talk and have fun.

In the lunchline I met a new friend who wore a hijab on her head, and though I am Jewish, we got along fine, and I was so relieved when she said, "Sit with us, at our table." She pointed to the one next to the door.

So I agreed, and took my tray and was about to walk with her across the floor, when suddenly I felt a nudge. "Hey, I saw you on the bus," said a tall girl in a long skirt. "I see your Jewish star necklace. You should sit with us."

At that moment I looked around, and that's when I noticed, to my surprise, the nations of the world, isolating themselves. That's what I saw through my own eyes.

The Spanish only sat with Spanish, the Hindus only with Hindus.  The Russians always with the Russians, and never the Arabs with the Jews.

I saw the reason why war gets started. Everyone sticks to their own kind. The lunchroom was a map of the world. Why was everyone so blind?

And so I turned down this girl, and went with the first, and there was no enmity. I built a bridge between two worlds when I sat with those different from me.


Sharon wrote this when she was 16 and in the 11th grade. Her goal is to become a international diplomat and peace-maker.

copyright, 2006 Sharon Fleischer

“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Luke 6:35

Red Bugs & Spanish Moss

By Bobbi


I’m going to venture a guess and suggest most people have heard of Spanish Moss and maybe even know what it looks like. They have possibly either seen it in person, looked at photographs of it, or viewed it in movies or on television. The southern states are known to have it in abundance and Florida is no exception. Our Live Oak trees in the area are covered and lavishly garnished with the light greenish-gray air plant, especially when located near a body of water.

Some strands of the moss reach almost to the ground and have a romantic look whether viewed in the moonlight or sunlight. It’s tempting for people to reach down and pick up clumps of the plant off the ground for use in floral arrangements, like my mom did when she visited us a few years ago. I would caution against that for a very good reason.

Down here, Spanish Moss is usually covered in red bugs. Now, for you Northerners who don’t know what red bugs are, they are called chiggers where I come from. No matter what they’re called, they produce the same results. If they bite you, plan on scratching yourself because they make you itch! A favorite place for them to hide and bite is along the skin where the elastic part of underwear is located.

In order for the moss to be used by florists, it must be treated first. This is usually done one of two ways, either by boiling it or cooking it in a microwave oven for a short amount of time. This will kill the bugs.

Fortunately, my mom didn’t get bit but if you do there are a couple of good ways to stop the itching. You can use either Calamine Lotion or nail polish on the bites and if you do, I hope you have the good sense to use clear polish!