Chaplain's Chat

‘Never regret a day in your life: good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories’.

Our year is drawing to a close, and I’m sure some of us are saying, ‘finally!’. Last week I talked with some of my groups about how difficult our year had been, and we reflected on this. Some of the students talked about the difficulties of online learning, the death of a loved one, having to spend all their time at home without seeing their friends, the bad news in the media about COVID and about how many people were sick or missing out on special occasions and activities here at school. I shared about my husband losing his job, my son being hit by a van and ending up in hospital and not seeing my parents. Despite the difficulties, I encouraged the students to think about things that they could be thankful or grateful for. We shared our thoughts, with some of the students writing them down in acrostic poems, or drawing pictures of them. Things they were thankful for included, art, technology, trees, pets, family, friends, toys, the internet, sports, education, clothes, food, our homes, the world and games. 

2020 may not be a year we want to remember, but there are things which we can be thankful for. Some days these things may be hard to see, or possibly be quite small or almost trivial, but they are there. It helps to focus on the positives, as well as acknowledge the people who may have been behind them. As I sat beside my son’s bed in hospital, I said thanks to the doctors and nurses, the Police as well as the paramedics who helped him. I was thankful that, despite lockdown, I could be with him in Emergency and later on the Ward. I was thankful that many of his medical bills were covered by TAC, and that he can now ride a bike again and play cricket and soccer. 

Have you also tried to be grateful to yourself? For all the decisions you had to make over this year. For changing your routines and those of your children multiple times. For juggling, budgeting, multi-tasking, negotiating. For just making it through this year! 

A mindset that includes gratefulness and being thankful of others, and to yourself, can be a balm in our times of sorrow or distress. It can reduce stress and help us to be happier and healthier. 

Take a moment now to think on all that you and your family can be thankful for. 

Sarah McIntosh

School Chaplain