Toy Story 4 was released on DVD earlier this month–twenty-four years after the original movie won the hearts of friends everywhere. I hear people love it for its timeless characters and the relationships they represent.
Then again, friendship never grows old. Some friends come and go and are there when we need them most. Others last a lifetime. Either way, friends play a role in shaping who we are and how we interact with the world.
This week is National Friends of Libraries Week, and this week, Pipestone Area Friends of the Library knocked it out of the park by supporting our dyslexia program. Not only did they sponsor the speaker, but they made the audience delicious treats. This isn’t unusual for our Friends group, as helping our library is what they do.
Though our Friends rock, not everyone is lucky enough to have the support of those around them. For a variety of reasons, individuals are made fun of, ostracized, or ignored. Bullying, like friendship, plays a role in shaping who we are and how we interact in the world.
Today is Unity Day, a single day during National Bullying Prevention Month, to remind us to be kind, be inclusive, and be accepting of those around us. Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center has worked hard to bring awareness of this growing problem and educate communities across the globe that by standing silent in the face of bullying can be just as damaging as doing the bullying itself.
Staff at Meinders Community Library stand firm in the idea that all individuals deserve to be treated with respect and that we don’t condone bullying for any reason. Our library has resources, both fiction and nonfiction, that speak to the nature and the aftermath of bullying. We can help you find some for readers of all ages.
While we know that not everyone is meant to be friends, Unity Day (and the toys from Toy Story) remind us that nobody should ever be the bully.
happy reading~ jody
