So what have I been up to? And why haven’t I been posting new cartoons?
Herby the Parrot and I are excited to announce that we have been busy working on Herby’s very first book! Published by Imagine! Books and appropriately titled Herby Gets a Life, this is a collection of Herby’s cartoons along with his thoughts and encouragements on life and positive life values. It’s all cleverly formatted and geared for third- to fifth- graders, though we’re rather sure it will be enjoyed both by children and children-at-heart alike.
Now that the cat’s out of the bag (hopefully it will leave poor Herby alone), we hope you are excited as much as we are to see Herby’s adventures come alive in book form. Go to Herby the Parrot’s brand-new Facebook page and “Like” him! And stay tuned for more updates and how you can get ahold of a copy of Herby’s very first book, scheduled to be released in mid-March!
There are many things that we don’t know all the answers to, or that cannot be proven with our five senses, and that must be believed instead. No one can see love for example, but we can believe that love exists and that it is good to love other people. We can believe that it is better to do good things and share love with people rather than doing evil. Herby encourages his friends to believe in the miracle of Christmas even if it is something that happened a long time ago and takes faith to believe.
How can you know that something is true or worth believing even if you can’t prove it with your five senses? What are some things that you can’t see or prove but can still believe are true?
When we believe something is true even when we can’t see or prove it, it is called faith. Faith doesn’t have to be blind or irrational—we can believe something because we have a good reason to believe it is true, such as that you are an amazing person with a good purpose for your life, or that God exists and came to earth as a baby 2,000 years ago to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. Sometimes though it might not even seem to be true or it may be harder to believe because other people don’t believe it. But this doesn’t mean it is untrue and not worth believing. Have faith even if you can’t always see or prove it, because there are some things you have to “just believe.”
Think of a song that you really like, or a work of art that you have seen that you thought was amazing. Many people have a favorite book or movie they enjoy. Perhaps you have seen people perform a play or a dance. And maybe you even enjoy drawing, painting, writing poetry or stories, singing, playing a musical instrument, or dancing yourself! Herby enjoys listening to the chickadee quartet sing moving, melodious music.
Have you ever been touched and inspired by music or some other form of art? How do you feel when you are enjoying it or have the opportunity to express yourself this way?
The arts can touch people in a way nothing else can. Art enriches our lives and gives people meaning, excitement, and joy. It helps us understand each other and the world, and even helps improve learning, behavior, and social ties. It communicates with the heart of people, and without it our world would be a rather dreary place. Music and the arts carry us higher and farther than we could ever go without it, truly “like wings for the soul.”
If someone is committed to something, such as school, a sport, their job, doing the right thing, a friendship, or a marriage between a husband and a wife, it means that no matter what, they’ve decided to stick with it and make it work, even when it’s hard and they don’t feel like it. Feelings can come and go, but as Red and his wife point out to Herby, commitment is what lasts.
How would you feel if someone was committed to being your friend no matter what? What are you committed to? Are there people or pursuits in your life that you can be better committed to?
When we are committed, we can do remarkable things, like be able to play a musical instrument, or we can help other people and enjoy positive, long-lasting relationships with them. We can’t commit to everything, but once you are committed to something or someone, stick with it and don’t quit. It may be hard work, but the results are worth it. It’s the secret to making it “through thick and thin.”
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