The Next Three Weeks

The next three weeks are going to be hard. They are going to be challenging. They are going to require every adult to find every ounce and shred of patience that we can muster, on a regular basis. Our students are going to be excited and anxious, some in anticipation, and some in dread, some with wonderful holiday traditions to look forward to, and some with none. If that feels and seems overwhelming, it is. I'm hopeful this quote from Mother Teresa can help us manage:

Do small things for others, with great love.

For the student whose family is atheists, for the colleague whose spouse is ill, for your own child who is on the autism spectrum, do small things with great love.

For the student who excels at everything, for the colleague you admire from afar, for your family member who can do no wrong, do small things with great love.

For the student who faces equity issues daily, for the colleague who can't seem to get out of their own way, for your spouse who struggles with addiction, do small things with great love.

For the student who always does their homework, for the colleague who always looks so "together," for your own child who at 14 is more confident than you are at 44, do small things with great love.

For the student who always does their homework, but has a parent struggling with addiction, do small things with great love.

For the colleague who always looks so "together," but daily visits an infirmed and homebound family member, do small things with great love.

For your own child who at 14 is more confident than you are at 44, who hides the social media stress they are consistently under, do small things with great love.

We have an opportunity in the next fifteen days together to make sure that when we arrive at this place, we all feel safe, welcomed and included. Every single person, with all their baggage, both visible and invisible, is safe exactly as they are at the St. Johnsbury School. Every single person, with all their baggage, both visible and invisible, is welcome exactly as they are at the St. Johnsbury School. Every single person, with all their baggage, both visible and invisible is included at the St. Johnsbury School.

It may seem like impossible work. But I offer you this, if we know our students, I mean truly know our students and if we know our colleagues, I mean really know our colleagues, we can do this. Together.

Do small things for others, with great love.

Photo courtesy of www.creativefabrica.com