Pastoral Care Worker News

We love connecting with other people because it makes us happy—good communication is the key when it comes to positive social interaction. We all have a strong need for connectivity and belonging, but sometimes our own emotions get in the way of this. Nursing social relationships enhances happiness because spending time with friends or family builds positive emotions—a key component of happiness.

Interactions with people can be verbal or nonverbal—we can even connect with each other through a smile. A vital element of positive social interaction, however, is good communication, and, I think, a sense of empathy. We don’t always know what another person is thinking/feeling, let alone what circumstances they may be facing in their lives, (unless they are a very close friend) but even then, we are not privy to their thinking.

We do “What’s the Buzz” at school, which is a social skills program that I deliver to groups of students to help them navigate this very hard and confusing issue of communicating. This program teaches them to recognize both verbal and non-verbal cues to communication and we also do lots of practicing our new skills with acting out short scenarios. The children really love doing these and the whole program is a lot of fun for them.

I was thinking about all this the other day and realized that there is a lot of things we can learn as adults as well. Often we come into a conversation with our own agenda and don’t stop to listen to the other person’s viewpoint, or what they are really trying to convey. Or we misinterpret what they are saying because of our own past issues. It really is very complex and no small wonder that communication is both the key to a healthy relationship and also the cause why so many relationships fall down, whether they are with family or work colleagues.

I will talk of this subject of communication in our next few Newsletters, and leave you now with the words of this old Elvis song to ponder.

“If I could be you, if you could be me, for just one hour

If we could find a way to get inside each other's mind

If you could see you through my eyes,

Instead of your ego I believe you'd be,

I believe you'd be surprised to see

That you've been blind

Walk a mile in my shoes

Yeah, before you abuse, criticize, and accuse

Walk a mile in my shoes

Now there are people on reservations, and out in the ghetto

And, brother, there, but for the grace of God, go you and I

If I only had the wings of a little angel

Don't you know I'd fly to the top of a mountain

And then I'd cry, cry, cry?

Walk a mile in my shoes

Yeah, before you abuse, criticize, and accuse

Walk a mile in my shoes."

Parent Afternoon Tea

A reminder there will be no Parent Afternoon Tea on Friday 11/9 due to the School Closure Day.

Friday afternoons are a good time to wind down. Why not join me and other parents in the Conference room from 2.30pm for free coffee and cake? Everyone is most welcome.

Every Blessing.

Cherie Love, Pastoral Care Worker