The Lions Club of Land O’ Lakes Roar

Nawar El Khouri Hage | Oct 23, 2024

Fall is the season of colors. Halloween is the season of dressing up. Now, can we possibly say that the world is dressing up right now? That leaves are coloring up as part of a larger scheme of a Halloween dress up? Is it possible that, while we think that the Fall holds Halloween that in fact it is Halloween that holds the Fall?

Naturally the answer is clear; seasons of nature existed prior to seasons of man, making the situation as clear as night and day. So why is this Roar questioning the obvious? Simply stating it, because it is Halloween! The time where every obvious is also questioned. Are we parading as goblins or fairies, wicked or nice, heroes or villains … It is a time where everything is possible, and I, for one, am waiting to see the children at our hall attempting creations of ghosts and garden on their little pumpkins.

Creations? Little creatures of thoughts that engulf our life beautifying it through poetry, sculpture, fashion, and so many other forms of arts that elevate the human soul and mind. In a few weeks students around the world will be submitting creations for the annual Lions contest that describes PEACE.

What is peace for a child in the age range of 11-13? How can peace be achieved, perceived, demonstrated in drawing or in writing? The Peace Poster Contest was introduced in 1988 and an additional Peace Essay Writing was added in the following years that children who are visually impaired can contribute to, describing their notion of peace.

I was lucky, honored in fact, to personally meet and listen to two children who won the Peace Poster and one who won the Peace Essay in the past 2 years. To hear children clearly explain their vision of their arts as a first level and their higher vision of peace is a humbling experience, one that we could all learn from every day. If we allow our children to teach us to laugh, to play, to bring out our inner child; I would hope we also allow them to teach us how peace looks and feels? Maybe one day. I pray.

Till we meet again in a Roar, research peace posters from children around the world, look for pictures of pumpkins colored by kids on the 26th of Oct, and drive by our club to look at the Fall and Halloween creations on the fence.