Once upon a time, there was a Roman soldier named Martin. One cold day in autumn the emperor asked him to bring an important message to a nearby town, so Martin climbed on his horse with his sword at his side and headed out of town. It was bitter cold and the wind was blowing snow in his face. Soon, darkness fell. He was lucky to be wearing a helmet and his thick red cloak to protect him from the storm. After a long ride, Martin finally reached the town gates. As he was about to ride through the gates he saw a beggar sitting at the side of the street, dressed only in old rags. He looked very hungry and was shivering, begging for help. Many people passed the poor man, but none offered him any help. Some just stared at him with indifference in their eyes, while others walked by without even looking at him. Dismayed by what he saw, Martin held the reins, took his heavy sword, and cut his red cloak in half. He gave one half to the beggar and kept the other half for himself. The poor man wrapped himself int he cloak, immediately feeling the warmth of the fabric strengthening his weak body. He wanted to thank the soldier who had shown him such kindness and possibly saved his life, but when he looked up, Martin was already gone.
The lantern walk is a tradition of spreading light and sharing kindness at a time of year that is cold and dark. We're fortunate to have so many families at Crestwood willing to share their talents and time with our school community. Before telling the story of St. Martin, Mr. B took the opportunity to announce that Crestwood was awarded an Art in the Garden grant, and that we plan to use the money to build an outdoor living stage in the very spot where we had gathered for the singing and story. Though the event wasn't an official groundbreaking (we have some planning to do, and winter to get through first!) it still had a ceremonial feel.
Be sure to keep checking this space for updates on the living stage project, as well as more catch-up posts on fall outdoor activities the classes have been doing. There may be a chill in the air, but our outdoor classrooms are thriving!