Fun with Character: Lighten Up

Draw an outline of a heart on the board. Walk through a typical day for a student in the same grade as your class. Cite examples of events happening that the student holds a grudge about. With the mention of each one, color in the heart a little with a dark color. When the heart is fully colored, talk about what it means to have a heavy heart. Ask for suggestions of what this student could do to lighten their heart. You will be seeking resolutions to the examples that you gave initially. With each resolution, erase part of the colored in heart until all the issues have been forgiven but still leave a little area colored in. Ask who else needs to be forgiven? You still need to forgive yourself. It is important not to carry around mistakes. If you are forgiven, focus on being better rather than on past mistakes. Erase the last of the colored area. Now the heart is light again.

To process this activity, ask these questions:

• Did you feel the heart getting heavier as it was colored in?

• If any of the items on the grudge list sounded familiar to you, did you feel yourself reacting?

• What does it feel like when your heart is light?

• Have you ever heard of the word “lighthearted”? What do you think it means?

• Does that word make a little more sense now?

• What is there room for in your heart when it is empty of grudges? (more love, happiness).

• Which would you rather be – heavy-hearted or light-hearted?

• Do you realize that it’s a choice that you want to be?