From the Desk of the Principal

Thought for the Week: 

Are Ekka Strawberry Sundaes a metaphor for Life?

Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students, and Friends of Mount Alvernia College

I hope that you are enjoying this Ekka short week.  It will be good to have that extra time over the weekend to spend with family and friends and perhaps a short trip or two.

I have just returned from the College Common Room where our generous Social Club has treated us to Ekka Strawberry Sundaes; with the Ekka winds earlier in the week and now Strawberry Sundaes, we know that August is halfway through.

I have decided to reflect on Ekka Sundaes as a metaphor for life so please indulge me in this piece.

When we consider just what is involved in the making of these delicious treats and the enjoyment of crunching through the cone and the taste of berries, cream, and ice-cream, it reminds one of the great things that life can bring, the many elements that life contains, and the surprises that life can bring.

For a start the elements of the sundae seem simple: cone, cream, ice-cream, and berries - but, when one examines the complexity of these ingredients, it is easy to see that sundaes, like life, are not simple.  First of all, the crunchy cone reminds me that we need to crunch into life, bite deep in and not just nibble around the edges.  The berries are the result of a farmer’s dedication to planting this fruit at just the right time of the year so they are delicious and sweet.  The lesson for me in this is that, as Ecclesiastes reminds us, “for everything there is a season”.  When the time is right!  The delicious strawberry ice-cream is a reference to the way that life blends ingredients and, if we get the balance of ingredients just right, then something delicious happens.  And what do I need to say about the cream on top?  It’s those little bits that make the whole thing complete.

In this time of COVID, aren’t we fortunate to live in the Sunshine State?  It’s good to experience life fully, even if it is just taking a few minutes to fully appreciate a Strawberry Sundae and those generous people who make this experience happen.

Have a lovely weekend and remember just how blessed we are.

Pax et bonum

Kerrie Tuite

(tuitk@staff.mta.qld.edu.au)