Chaplains Spot

Grief and Loss can be very difficult to cope with, especially when someone close to us dies. We miss them terribly, particularly on special anniversaries or birthdays. We cannot enjoy life with them the way we used to. We usually have lots of wonderful memories to hold on to when we feel sad. Also, there are many fabulous resources we can use to help us work through our grief. Using these resources can help us to move on with life, while still remembering our loved one. Here are some of the books I use as a Chaplain.

These 10 grief quotes from famous writers, artists and influential people describe the pain of losing a loved one, and what it takes to keep on going through the dark times.

1.“I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories.” Leo Buscaglia (professor & motivational speaker)

2. “Perhaps some day the sun will shine again,

And I shall see that still the skies are blue,

And feel once more I do not live in vain,

Although bereft of you.” Vera Brittain (frontline nurse during WWI and writer)

3. “You’ve got to trust yourself. Be gentle with yourself. And listen to yourself. You’re the only person who can get you through this now.” Tessa Shaffer (author & entrepreneur)

4. “Tears water our growth.” William Shakespeare (playwright & poet)

5. “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.” Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (grief psychologist)

6. “Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.” Rossiter Worthington Raymond (engineer & author)

7. “What is lovely never dies, but passes into another loveliness, star-dust or sea-foam, flower or winged air.” Thomas Bailey Aldrich (writer, poet & editor)

8. “We are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it to the full.”

Marcel Proust (author & essayist)

9. “When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways – either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength." The Dalai Lama (religious leader of Tibetan Buddhism)

10. “Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.”

Rabindranath Tagore (painter, writer &  musician)

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Here is my Grief & Loss strategy card

10 grief strategies

Take time out to mourn                           Make no major decisions

Talking helps healing                               Express yourself creatively

Honour your loved one’s memory                                           Stay healthy

Don’t numb your feelings                                  Have fun

Plan for special occasions                       Reach out

If you or your family are struggling with grief and loss, and would like some support, please contact me via email or at school. 

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Toast Tuesday: Our free Toast Tuesday program runs from 8.30 until start of school. Our second-hand uniform stock is also available for gold coin donations. Thanks to Ms. Rose for tracking down, cleaning and forwarding unnamed items to our stock.

Toast Tuesday Roster: The link for this term is: volunteersignup.org/3JJT4. If you would like help out [you need a current WWC check], please go to the link for available dates. 

Also, we are very appreciative of the ongoing support of our 2 sponsors – Woolworths Eastland and Bakers Delight Heathmont. 

Contact: If you need to contact me, you can email me, or phone or see me at school on my days listed below.

Facts about turtles for Kids:

1. Turtles belong to one of the oldest reptile groups in the world – beating snakes, crocodiles and alligators!

2. These creatures date back to the time of the dinosaurs!

3. Turtles are easily recognised by their bony shell. This super-tough casing acts like a shield to protect them from predators – some even tuck their head up inside their shell for extra protection!

4. Just like your bones, a turtle’s shell is actually part of its skeleton. It’s made up of over 50 bones which include the turtle’s rib cage and spine.

5. Contrary to popular belief, a turtle cannot come out of its shell. The turtle’s shell grows with them, so it’s impossible for them to grow too big for it!

6. What a turtle eats depends on the environment it lives in. Land-dwelling turtles will munch on beetles, fruit and grass, whereas sea dwellers will gobble everything from algae to squid and jellyfish.

7. Some turtles are carnivores (meat eaters), others are herbivores (plant eaters) and some are omnivores (a mixture of the two!). Many baby turtles start life as carnivores but grow to eat more plants as they mature.

8. Turtles are ‘amniotes’ – they breathe air and lay their eggs on land, although many species live in or around water.

9. These cold-blooded creatures have an incredibly long life span. The oldest ever recorded, named Tu”i Malila, of Tonga Island, passed away at the grand old age of 188!

10. Sadly, many species of turtle are endangered! 129 of 300 species of turtle and tortoise on Earth today are either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.

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Alan Silverwood: Chaplain - Pastoral care for our community. [Tuesday, Friday]

[alan.silverwood@education.vic.gov.au] Supporting the School community in emotional, social, spiritual and practical wellbeing. 

Our Chaplaincy program is funded by the Federal Government’s ‘National Student Wellbeing Program’, the GRPS School Council and donations.