Weekly Compass: Engage
Now Is Not the Time to Shy Away
Feeling disconnected? This week’s Compass explores how choosing to engage with people, ideas, and life itself, can spark connection, growth, and real change!
Welcome to this edition of the Weekly Compass, where we shine a spotlight on a single value and look at how it can guide our everyday decisions and actions. Each installment includes a brief reflection, group discussion prompts, and a practical “take action” step—perfect for families, small groups, or personal study.
Our focus this week is Engage. We use the verb “engage” instead of the noun “engagement” because it’s important to think of it as actionable. Together, we’ll explore what it really means to show up—not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and socially. In a world where it’s so easy to scroll past, tune out, or stay in our own bubbles, engaging invites us to get involved. Whether it’s speaking up in a group, listening with care, or participating in something bigger than ourselves, “engage” reminds us to take action because we all have something meaningful to offer.
When we engage, it’s not about being the loudest voice or the most animated person in the room. It’s about choosing connection over isolation and curiosity over indifference. From family dinners to community efforts to simple conversations with strangers, showing up with intention can make all the difference. This week, let’s reflect on the spaces where we’ve been sitting on the sidelines, and then challenge ourselves to take one small step toward being more present, more curious, and more connected.
Key Objectives
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Please review the following objectives and explanation about why they matter. During your discussion time, you can read these to everyone verbatim, put them in your own words, or simply skip them and start with the opening reflection while keeping these in mind.
Objectives for this discussion:
Define “Engage” Clearly: Understand that to engage means to fully participate in life, connect with others, and not withdraw into isolation.
Identify the Cost of Disengaging: Recognize how pulling away can increase loneliness and division, especially in times of stress or disagreement.
Promote Curiosity & Connection: Learn to approach differences with curiosity instead of fear, and look for opportunities to connect with new people and ideas.
Encourage Action-Oriented Presence: Brainstorm ways to be more present, involved, and supportive in relationships, communities, and conversations.
Why These Objectives Matter
[Read aloud, optional]: When we talk about engaging, we’re not just talking about showing up—we’re talking about really showing up. Engaging means participating with your mind and heart, connecting with others instead of checking out or scrolling past. It's easy to sit on the sidelines, especially when life feels overwhelming or people feel prickly. But when we engage, we remind ourselves (and each other) that we belong to something bigger than just our own little circle of people.
When we disengage—especially during tense or uncertain times—we miss chances to connect, to understand, and to grow. But when we lean in with curiosity instead of shutting down in fear, we open the door to stronger relationships and healthier communities. We’re not aiming for perfection, just presence. A little effort to ask questions, listen well, and lend a helping hand goes a long way in making the world feel less divided and a whole lot more human.
Opening Reflection
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Read paragraph 1 below and then select either Option 1 or Option 2 of paragraph 2, based upon the make-up of your family or discussion group. This should be read out loud as an opening reflection.
Paragraph 1:
Engaging isn’t just about being physically present—it’s about showing up with your mind and your heart. It’s easy to drift through a day without really connecting with anyone: eyes on a screen, earbuds in, just doing your thing. But really engaging means choosing to look up, listen well, speak out, and care. It’s about being part of the moment, the conversation, and (hopefully) the solution.
Paragraph 2 (Option 1; Child-Friendly):
Think about a time when someone noticed you were feeling left out and invited you to join the game or sit at their table. That little act of kindness changed your whole day, right? That’s what engaging looks like. It’s noticing others, caring enough to act, and making the world just a bit better because you showed up and helped someone feel like they matter.
Paragraph 2 (Option 2; Adult-Oriented):
A friend once said, “The world is run by those who show up.” Whether it’s offering a listening ear during a tough conversation or volunteering your time for something that matters, choosing to engage builds trust, connection, and resilience. When we stop sitting on the sidelines and step into community, especially when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient, we help create the kind of world we want to live in. Real change begins with the decision to show up and engage.
Discussion Questions
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Explain that there are three questions you’ll be discussing together and encourage everyone to share their thoughts on each question. Select the appropriate group of questions from the selection below and go through them, one at a time, allowing ample time for discussion. You might also ask follow-up questions—like “Why do you think that?” or “Can you explain more?”—to help participants clarify their ideas and dig a little deeper. Remind everyone that there are no “wrong” answers here; we’re simply exploring the many ways courage can show up in our lives.
Brief Introduction to Read Aloud:
Before we jump into our questions, let’s take a moment to think about what it really means to engage. It’s not just about being in the room or showing up to an event. It’s about being present, paying attention, and caring enough to connect with what’s going on and who’s around us. Whether it’s joining a conversation, helping someone out, or just listening with curiosity, engaging helps us grow closer to others and become part of something bigger than ourselves.
These questions are meant to help us talk about how we “show up” in the world—and how we might stretch ourselves to engage a little more thoughtfully. Let’s see what comes up in our conversation!
Younger Children
Q1: What does it mean to “pay attention” to someone?
Q2: Tell us about a time you helped someone or joined in instead of staying by yourself.
Q3: How do you feel when someone really listens to you?
Teens/College Students
Q1: How do social media and technology sometimes make us feel more connected but sometimes more alone?
Q2: What stops people from engaging with others who are different from them?
Q3: When have you chosen to step in or speak up—and what happened?
Adults/General Audience
Q1: When do you tend to disengage—and why?
Q2: How does meaningfully engaging with people who disagree with us help us grow?
Q3: What role does engaging play in building a healthier, more just society?
Take Action!
[Parents and discussion leaders]: Read the brief introduction below and then read the appropriate Weekly Challenge, or put it in your own words, if you prefer. Discuss the challenge to ensure everyone understands it. Ask everyone to commit to taking on this challenge!
Introduction to the Challenge:
Talking about the importance of engaging with the world is a great start—but real growth comes when we get off the sidelines and step into the action. This week, we’re all invited to choose just one area where we usually hang back, and instead, make a small, intentional move to participate. It doesn’t have to be anything big—it just has to be genuine. Whether it’s a hello, a helping hand, or just asking someone, “hey, how are you really doing?” These small moments can create big changes in how connected we feel to others and how much we feel like we belong.
Weekly Challenge (Child-Oriented):
Think of one time during the week when you usually don’t talk much or join in—maybe at recess, during family dinner, or while playing with friends. This week, try starting a conversation, asking a thoughtful question, or offering to help with something. At the end of the week, talk about how that felt. Did anything change when you chose to show up and join in?
Weekly Challenge (Adult-Oriented):
Identify a situation where you normally keep to yourself—like a work meeting, a school project, a neighborhood event, or even a chatty family gathering. This week, make a conscious choice to participate: speak up, check in on someone, offer your help, or ask a deeper question. Then reflect or journal about what happened. How did it feel to engage instead of withdraw? What changed for you—or for someone else?
Closing Thoughts
[Parents and discussion leaders]: To wrap up your discussion, read the quote below and the closing reflection, or ask someone else to read them to the group. If you are using the Weekly Compass with younger children, you may need to explain the closing reflection or simply put it in your own words.
“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.”
– Elie Wiesel
This quote from Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate, Elie Wiesel, reminds us that what truly harms relationships and justice isn’t always loud or aggressive—it’s silence. It’s the shrug. It’s the looking away. Indifference says, “I don’t care enough to get involved,” and when too many people feel that way, things fall apart. It happens slowly but steadily.
Choosing to engage is choosing to love because it’s how we stop being indifferent. Choosing to engage is how we build trust, repair relationships, strengthen communities, and even change the course of events that seem beyond our control. We don’t need to be perfect. We don’t need to be loud. And we certainly don’t need to be heroic. Engaging just asks us to show up—to be curious, to listen, to ask questions, and to connect. So this week, don’t shy away. Be present for the people around you. And remember: every time you engage with heart and intention, you push back against indifference and move the world a little closer to love.