A Fleet of Seaworthy Ships

I have reflected many times in this Newsletter how thankful I am to work at Blue Mountains Grammar School, with colleagues who take seriously our calling to serve our community through education. I’ve seen many examples in recent days and heard many heart-warming stories of the commitment of my staff to our students and their families. These stories bring me encouragement and strength as I make my contribution to the efforts of our team. Without knowing it, the hardworking and committed teachers and support staff with whom I work lift me up, bring light to my day and buoy my spirits.

The concept of buoyancy is associated with the ship that our School has had at the centre of its logo for many decades. Of late this ship has become a metaphor for the type of people we wish ourselves and our students to be; people who are prepared to fly the flags of our values and ideals high on our masts; people with an identity strong and flexible enough to ride out the stormiest seas; and people with the kind of tenacity that will enable them to persist and push methodically through the most difficult of circumstances.

Whilst our current times are more difficult for some than others, no one disputes that the average is high. We are all inconvenienced and many are troubled, some deeply, by the pressure of lockdown, social isolation, extensive changes in our daily routine, the necessity of developing new skills, frustrated plans and abandoned hopes among other things. To accommodate these circumstances in our minds and hearts requires reflection and the intentional alignment of our thinking. If we do not frame our thoughts carefully, we may reach unreasonable conclusions, or worse, be ruled by one or more of our strong emotions. This can lead us to behave in ways that will not bring about the outcomes we truly want for ourselves, our families and our community. At worst it can lead us to treating those around us in ways we wish we hadn’t or even placing them in danger, especially those closest to us.

During this season, the emotion most likely to overtake us is fear; whether reasonable, balanced fears or unreasonable, exaggerated fears. Observing our fears is necessary, accommodating them in our decision-making is wise, however being ruled by fear in any way is always counterproductive. It has the potential to create a spiralling whirlpool inside us that will draw us down to places it is best not to go. In deciding to put fear to one side we must place our confidence in something else and I would suggest that we have a few options.

Many of us have placed our confidence in the NSW Health officials who are making decisions on our behalf. They may not have all the information they need, but we have less. They may not yet understand this virus as well as they will in years to come, but they understand it better than most of us. Their decisions may not have been right every time, but few of us can make this claim. Nonetheless, they are those best placed to make decisions on our behalf and their choices are most likely to deliver the outcomes we all want if we support them, through their successes and their relative failures.

Many of us have placed our confidence in our community who are supporting us as we navigate this time together. This community includes those who love us, know us well and have our best interests at heart. We have each heard beautiful stories of the ways in which we are watching out for each other, encouraging each other and caring for each other. Of course, there will be times that we too make mistakes, offend one another, annoy one another and disappoint one another. Nonetheless, we are stronger together than any one of us would be alone.

Many of us have placed our confidence in ourselves, knowing that we have the requisite character and capabilities to navigate our current circumstances and, in the majority of cases, flourish. It has helped that we know that we are capable of so much more that we have yet been asked to do. It has helped that we view our challenges as learning opportunities and reflect after each error and after each occasion in which we did not meet our own expectations. It has helped that we persevere despite the fact that things are hard right now.

Some of us have placed our confidence in God and his promises. Deuteronomy 31:6 encourages us to “be strong and courageous” and to “not be afraid or terrified because … the Lord your God goes with you” and “will never leave you nor forsake you.” In Psalm 50:15, God says “call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you.” Whilst I will continue to hope and pray that God will protect us all from this insidious virus, I am sure that confidence in Him will deliver us from fear.

Here in the lucky country, here in the beautiful Blue Mountains and here at Blue Mountains Grammar School, we have many reasons to be confident. Please speak your confidence and encouragement into the life of our community. It will keep those around you strong and buoyant. If you know someone who may be struggling, please ask them R U OK and offer to provide them with whatever support they may require. However, if you can’t escape the whirlpool of fear, please reach out to a member of the BMGS staff team that you trust. Alternatively, consider calling Kids Help Line, the free phone counselling service, on 1800 55 1800, or Lifeline, the free crisis support line, on 13 11 14.

You are one of the seaworthy ships in the BMGS fleet. I have confidence in each and every one of you, and know that as we continue to sail together in convoy, we will successfully ride out this storm and arrive at our destination.

Per Ardua Ad Altiora

Mr Ian Maynard

Headmaster

S1 GrapesLearning From Home

S1 Grapes
Learning From Home