9.10.20

Our lives and those of our children were turned upside down seven months ago. As a school community and a nation, we are sharing a collective trauma.  It has not been easy for us to stay relentlessly positive, but we must. 

 

Our first day of school September 8 was bittersweet. There was some disappointment, sadness, and anxiety. Yet there was also excitement, possibility, and hope. At Wednesday’s Meeting for Worship, two students reminded us in their messages that “This is going to be a great year!” and despite our physical separation, “We are a community.” Their voices and the words that came forth reminded all of us to be relentlessly positive.

 

In a Harvard Business Review article entitled, “Growth after Trauma,” Richard Tedeschi writes, 

 

We’ve learned that negative experiences can spur positive change, including a recognition of personal strength, the exploration of new possibilities, improved relationships, a greater appreciation for life, and spiritual growth. We see this in people who have endured war, natural disasters, bereavement, job loss and economic stress, serious illnesses and injuries. So despite the misery resulting from the coronavirus outbreak, many of us can expect to develop in beneficial ways in its aftermath.

We are in a space in time where things are new, unfamiliar, and different but that does not mean things cannot also be interesting, inspiring, and engaging. This week we began a new year of nurturing your children to be lifelong learners, courageous risk-takers, and joyous peacemakers. That work requires relentless positivity, and we’re looking forward to staying positive together. 

 

In Peace and Partnership, 

 

Angela