The Serenity Prayer God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.

Today’s Checklist Hero Paragraph Best conversation ever Elements of a short story introduction Read “Charles” – Short story  Answer questions

Have your best conversation ever Best conversation ever contest Best conversation ever

The Power of Stories One lesson we can learn from pre- industrial peoples is the power of storytelling. I am struck by how important storytelling is among tribal peoples; it forms the basis of their educational systems. The Celtic peoples, for example, insisted that only the poets could be teachers. Why? I think it is because knowledge that is not passed through the heart is dangerous: it may lack wisdom; it may be a power trip; it may squelch life out of the learners. - Matthew Fox

Short stories Setting: The time and place presented in the story. This is usually described in the introduction of the story. Example: It was a cold and gloomy night as John stood at the edge of Lake Ontario.

Atmosphere: The mood or feeling of a place or situation. Atmosphere usually helps create feelings or emotions, and is usually established in the setting (for instance, a haunted house on a moonless night).

Plot: The story line; the series of events that happen in a story. Theme: The main ideas behind a story or the point the author is making. The theme is suggested and is never stated in the story. An author is usually suggesting something about life or human behaviour.

Protagonist: The main character or “hero” of a story. Antagonist: The character that challenges or is the opposite of the main character (can sometimes be seen as a villain).

Conflict: The problem between two forces, one of which will eventually win at the end of the story. Common types of conflict:  Person vs. person  Person vs. society  Person vs. nature  Person vs. supernatural  Person vs. self

Mood: The way the reader feels about the topic or the subject of the story. (For instance, when you’re reading, do you feel angry? Disturbed? Sad?)