Stories That Shape Us: Ganesha’s Race Around the World

Hi Explorers! 🐘

In today’s adventure, we travel into a beloved Hindu story featuring Ganesha—a kind and clever figure known for wisdom, new beginnings, and overcoming obstacles.

When Ganesha and his speedy brother Kartikeya are challenged to race around the world for a magical prize, it seems like an easy win for the fastest runner. But Ganesha has a different idea—one that teaches us that wisdom, love, and perspective matter more than speed.

Get ready to trumpet like an elephant, spin for ZOOM!, and make your silliest “OH NO!” face as you join this interactive, imagination-filled journey!

🌍 What We Explore

A traditional Hindu story about Ganesha and Kartikeya
The difference between being fast and being wise
Why family and connection matter most
How sharing makes every victory sweeter

🎒 Belief Backpack Takeaways

Let’s zip up what we learned today:

Think wisely – The best answer isn’t always the fastest one
Love your people – The ones we care about are our whole world
Share the good stuff – Kindness makes every win better

Say it together:

“Think wisely. Love your people. Share the good stuff!”

Try It at Home

Keep the adventure going with our printable game:

Ganesha’s Great Big Race – Race around the board, make thoughtful choices, and see who reaches the mango first!

👉 Find it at: faithfullyexplore.com

💬 Conversation Starters

What would YOU include in your “whole world”?
When is it better to slow down and think instead of rushing?
How can you share something good with someone this week?

🌉 Friendship Bridge

This story reminds us that every culture has stories about wisdom and kindness. Whether it’s Ganesha in Hindu tradition or other wise figures around the world, we can all learn that:

Being thoughtful is powerful
Love connects us
Sharing brings joy

🎧 Listen & Connect

Perfect for:

Family listening time
Classroom discussions
Social-emotional learning (SEL) moments
Exploring world religions in a kid-friendly way

Thanks for exploring with us!

I’m Laura, and this is Faithfully Explore!

Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and keep exploring 🌟

Laura: 00:00:00

Hi Explorers.

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: 00:00:01

I'm Laura, and I'm so glad you're here for

another adventure on Faithfully Explore!

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Today we're traveling to a place of tall,

snowy mountains and shimmering magic.

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Before our story begins, I

need to know, are you ready?

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I can't hear you.

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Are you ready?

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Faithfully Explore! Intro:

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Faithfully Explore!

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is the name.

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Learning together is our aim.

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Beliefs around the globe we'll track,

filling up our Belief Backpack.

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Laura: Now, in our story today, I need

your help with three special sounds.

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Every time I say the name, Ganesha, I

want you to make a big elephant trunk

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with your arm and go trumpet, trumpet.

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Let's try it.

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Ganesha

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trumpet, trumpet.

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Every time I say zoom, I want you

to stand up, spin around once, and

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sit back down as fast as a race car.

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Ready?

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Zoom.

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When I say, oh no, put your

hands on your cheeks and make

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your silliest surprised face.

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Let's try it.

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Oh no.

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You are the best explorers ever.

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Let's unzip our Belief

Backpacks zip and get started.

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A long, long, long time ago, high up in

the mountains, lived a family of gods.

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There was Shiva, the great and

powerful God of everything.

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Parveti, his wonderful wife, who

was so beautiful and so smart that

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flowers bloomed wherever she walked.

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And their two sons, big brother

Kartikeya, who was the fastest

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runner in all the heavens.

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Zoom!

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Kartikeya: I am so fast.

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I once raced a lightning bolt and won

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Laura: And little Brother Ganesha

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who had the head of an elephant,

the biggest, kindest heart you ever

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saw, and a great big love of sweets.

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Ganesha: Mm.

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Do I smell ladoos?

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Oh.

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Hello everyone!

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Laura: One afternoon, a very

special visitor arrived.

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It was a glowing sage, a wise holy

man carrying something extraordinary.

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One single shimmering magical mango.

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Shiva: Oh, a magical mango.

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This is no ordinary fruit, children.

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Whoever eats this mango will

become the wisest, most wonderful

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version of themselves forever.

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Parvati: But there's only one.

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Which of our sons should receive it?

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Laura: Parvati Looked at Kartikeya.

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She looked at Ganesha.

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She looked at Kartikeya again.

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She just couldn't decide.

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Shiva: I have an idea.

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Kartikeya: What?

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Ganesha: What?

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Shiva: A race!

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The first one to travel around the

entire world and come back here...

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wins the mango.

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Kartikeya: Oh yeah, I've got this.

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I'm the fastest!

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Ganesha: Hmm.

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Around the whole world.

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That's really far.

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Laura: The race was about to

begin, but first, let's stretch

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because anytime you go on a big

adventure, you've gotta warm up.

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Can everyone stand up?

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Okay.

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Adventurers.

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Touch your toes like Ganesha,

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reaching for a ladoo!

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Reach up high like Kartikeya,

jumping over a mountain.

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Flap your arms like you're

flying on a peacock.

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Perfect.

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Sit back down.

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The race is about to start.

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Shiva raised his hand high in the air.

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Shiva: Racers, on your marks.

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Get set, go!

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Laura: Zoom,

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Kartikeya leaped onto his

peacock and whoosh, he was gone.

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He flew over the icy

mountains of the north.

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He splashed through the

roaring oceans of the east.

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He dashed through the hot,

hot deserts of the west.

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He was going so fast, the clouds

had to jump out of his way.

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Kartikeya: Mountains, easy!

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Ocean, splash!

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Desert, phew, it's hot!

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Jungle, whoops monkeys.

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Almost there..

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Almost there...

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Laura: Meanwhile, back at home, Ganesha

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stood very still.

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He looked at his tiny little mouse.

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Mushika Mouse: Squeak.

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Squeak.

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Squeak.

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Ready to run, boss?

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Ganesha: Mushika, my dear little friend.

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I have been thinking.

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Mushika Mouse: Uhoh, you've got that look.

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Ganesha: What look?

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Mushika Mouse: The "I have

a very clever idea" look.

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Your eyebrows are doing the wiggly thing.

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Ganesha: Perfect!

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Because I do have a clever idea.

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Mother...

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father...

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may I ask you something?

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Father said the race is to travel

around the whole world, yes?

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Shiva: That's right, son.

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Ganesha: And mother, you're

my whole world, aren't you?

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And father, you're my whole world too.

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Laura: And just like that Ganesha

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walked in a circle all the way

around his mother and his father.

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He came back to where he started.

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He folded his hands and he smiled

his big, warm elephant smile.

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Ganesha: Then I have traveled

around my entire world.

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Laura: Oh no.

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I wish I could see all of

your surprise faces right now.

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If you forgot, try again.

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Oh no.

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Did he just do what I think he did?

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Mushika Mouse: He did it.

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He did it.

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That's my boy!

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Squeak squeak squeak!

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Parvati: our son just...

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Shiva: I think...

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I think he did

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Ganesha!

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Laura: Just then, zoom!

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A gust of winds swept through,

and Kartikeya landed with a thud.

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Kartikeya: I did it.

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I flew over every mountain,

every ocean, every desert, every

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jungle, and the whole world.

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I was so fast, I laughed a comet, so

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I win.

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right?

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Why is everyone smiling like that?

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Laura: Shiva explained what Ganesha

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had done.

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Kartikeya's jaw dropped so

far, it nearly hit the floor.

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Kartikeya: He walked around Mom and Dad?

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Ganesha: You and I were asked to

travel around our whole world, brother.

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My whole world is our family, isn't yours?

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Laura: Kartikeya was

quiet for a long moment.

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Kartikeya: That is either the silliest

thing I've ever heard or the smartest.

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It's the smartest, isn't it?

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Ganesha: Little bit.

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Shiva: Both of my sons are extraordinary

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Kartikeya, you flew around the

world with speed and courage.

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That is a gift.

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Ganesha,

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you used your heart and your mind

together, you understood that the greatest

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journey isn't always the longest one.

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It's the most meaningful one.

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The mango is yours, my wise one.

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Ganesha: Thank you, father.

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Laura: Then Ganesha

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broke the mango in half and

holds one piece out to Kartikeya.

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Ganesha: But I don't wanna eat

it alone half for you, brother.

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You work so hard today.

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You deserve some wisdom too.

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Kartikeya: You're kind of

the best, you know that.

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Laura: And from that day on, Ganesha

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became known all across the heavens and

the earth as the God of wisdom, of new

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beginnings, and of removing obstacles.

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Whenever someone starts something new:

a new school year, a new adventure,

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a new day, they think of Ganesha

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first.

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Ganesha: That means I'm

thinking of you right now.

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Every new thing you try, every first

day you face, I'm rooting for you.

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You've got this.

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Laura: What's inside our

belief backpack this week?

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Before we say goodbye.

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Let's remember what Ganesha

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taught us today.

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One: the biggest, fastest, loudest

answer isn't always the best answer.

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Sometimes the wisest answer

is the quiet, thoughtful one.

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Two: the people you love,

your family, your friends.

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They are your whole world.

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Nothing is more important.

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Three: even when you win,

sharing makes it sweeter.

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Today's phrase is think wisely.

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Love your people.

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Share the good stuff.

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Can everyone say it with me?

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Think wisely.

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Love your people.

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Share the good stuff.

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One more time.

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Louder.

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Think wisely.

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Love your people.

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Share the good stuff.

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This week, I have a game for you to

show how you can think wisely, love

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your people, and share the good stuff.

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Head over to faithfullyexplore.com

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to download Ganesha's Great Big Race.

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Race around the game board to be

the first one to get the mango.

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Now one last time, Ganesha

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went on a race Zoom,

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but his brother didn't know.

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Oh, no

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that Ganesha

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was the wisest of all.

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Ganesha: Thank you for going

on this adventure with me.

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Now go out there and start something new.

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I'll be cheering for you

every step of the way.

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Laura: This has been Faithfully Explore!

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I'm Laura.

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Until next time, stay curious,

stay kind, and keep exploring

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the wonderful world around you.

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Faithfully Explore! Outro:

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Faithfully Explore!

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is about you.

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Let's grow kinder together it's true!

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🌍 What We Explore

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Try It at Home

💬 Conversation Starters

🌉 Friendship Bridge

🎧 Listen & Connect

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