Be Kind, Be safe, Be respectful, Be responsible, Be resilient, Be ready

School Starts Back on Tuesday 16th July

Dear Parents and carers,

Who doesn’t love a story? They can make us laugh, or cry, they can entertain or inform, they can challenge our way of thinking or unite us with others. One day people will tell stories about us, if they aren’t already! What is the story you would most like them to tell about you? What story would you most like to be forgotten? We live in a world shaped by stories.

The Dreamtime Stories go back for tens of thousands of years and still give life to First Nations people. The stories in the Bible go back for thousands of years and we still use them, we still find inspiration in them. Jesus knew that stories are good medicine for the soul and he told them often. He usually began by focusing attention on his listeners’ own situation or concerns or experiences. His parables often provoked his listeners to ask questions of their own, and to reflect on their own lives, beliefs, and attitudes.

Good stories begin by listening – a good storyteller is always a good listener, she or he is one who goes beyond the words and listens to what the story is telling about the soul. We can tell a lot about the state of our soul by how we feed our minds and hearts, by what we choose to listen to, by what we choose to read, by what we choose to watch on TVand what stories we choose to tell. It is worth asking sometimes whether I am growing bitter, angry,

becoming a person who’s painful to be around, someone with a pretty negative view of life. How do we know? Just listen to what stories we tell, and what news we choose to share. Are we feeding that by negative news stories or what we read or do we just foster a negative outlook on life? Or am I an enthusiast perhaps, a person who sees the silver lining rather than the dark clouds? Do I help light up a room or darken the mood? Do I feel I am losing my spark because I’m losing hope, and graciousness in my life? Am I always right or am I open to other ways of looking at a situation?

In the words of Pope Francis:” Every day God passes and sows a seed in the soil of our lives. We do not know whether today God will find dry ground, brambles, or good soil that will make that seed grow (Mk 4: 3-9). That they become for us the living Word of God depends on us, on our prayer, on the open heart with which we approach the Scriptures.

But is it also in how we listen to others, in how we listen to their stories, their lived experiences that "we grow in mutual respect and begin to discern the movements of God's Spirit in the lives of others and in our own?” Pope Francis. So nurture your stories and

be alert to those you are sharing and your openness to listen to those of others as a barometer of your soul.

Today we often hear people say that they are ‘soulmates’ and I wonder sometimes what that really means. Today, rather than talking about our immortal souls we talk about the here and now so we associate the word ‘soul’ with our essence, our humanness, our mind and heart, our emotions, and how we connect with others. That’s not a bad start but being a soul

mate still needs attention, still needs cultivating, still needs prayer, and openness to God’s invitation to growth and wisdom.

So what stories will you tell today? Will those you encounter be pleased they met you today?

Taken from If you want to nourish your soul, nurture your stories.Jim Quillinan

Keep smiling

Cathy

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