By Dawn Pearson
Audrey Hepburn once said, “For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.”
For two teachers and friends, Hepburn is their muse. They are living by her words and teaching others how to look at the world with love and compassion.
Alicia Woodward of Carmel and Natalie Schultz of Swansea, Ill., have published a nonfiction book, “Lesson in Loveliness – Learning to Live a Lovely Life,” and produce a daily blog.
“We are responding to a culture of sass, trash and crass with a touch of class,” Woodward said.
Their book and blog don’t try to prove or deny a changing culture, place blame or join the pity party, according to Woodward.
“We simply offer an alternative response to a growing sense of incivility, to consciously look for the beauty in the world, in ourselves and in each other,” Woodward said.
The teachers, authors and bloggers are 20 years apart in age and live in different states, but when they met 15 years ago teaching at the same middle school in Fairview Heights, Ill., they clicked.
Woodward and Schultz shared the same professional goals to model wisdom and kindness; encourage students to see the best in themselves, each other and the world; create a warm and welcoming classroom environment; and explore beauty and inspire excellence through lessons.
“Except for being 20 years apart in age, we immediately realized how simpatico we were,” said Woodward, who is the older of the two. “We are both brunettes with toothy smiles, the oldest of three sisters, and middle school English and social studies teachers. We taught together on the same eighth-grade team for eight years.”
Their mission is to inspire modern women to live with beauty and grace.
“We believe that women have an enormous influence over their personal lives, family, inner circles and community, although most of our writing speaks to men as well,” Woodward said. “As teachers and students of life, we believe if we open our eyes, our hearts and our minds, the world offers constant lessons in loveliness. On any day, our teacher may be an elder or a child, a loved one or a stranger, nature or a pet, art or literature, our joys or our challenges. Sometimes the lessons are grand and life-changing, but more often they are simple and subtle instructions that lead to a well-lived life.”
Read the blog at lessonsinloveliness.com. The book is $24.99 and is available through the website.
