Year 8
The good person out of the good treasure
of the heart produces good,
and the evil person out of
evil treasure produces evil;
for it is out of the abundance of the heart
that the mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45
On the day of their return to school, I spoke to the year level about one of my favourite children’s books: John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat, which is the tale of an elderly widow named Rose whose friend and companion is a dog, named John Brown. John Brown is a loyal friend and caretaker for Rose, looking out for her as best he can. One night, Rose thinks she hears a cat out in the garden. John Brown assures her that it is not a cat. When Rose goes to bed, he goes outside and confronts the noisemaker, who really is a cat. John Brown, jealous at the thought of someone else receiving Rose’s attention, tells the cat to stay away.
When Rose realizes that there is indeed a cat outdoors, she cares for it by leaving a bowl of milk outside the front door. Each night a jealous John Brown tips the milk bowl over. One morning, Rose does not get out of bed. She feels ill and tells John Brown that she will not be getting up. John Brown worries about Rose all day. Finally, he enters her room and asks if the cat would make her feel better. When Rose replies, “Oh, yes!” John Brown brings the cat in. The end of the story finds a contented Rose, John Brown and the newcomer cat relaxing and enjoying the quiet— and one another’s company!
John Brown is just like a Year 7 student at the end of the year who is feeling worried about what might happen in 2022 and doesn’t want to share the friends she has made in Year 7. She wants to stay in the same Homeroom; she is happy and safe there and she doesn’t want this to change. She is around her friends and she likes being in a comfortable, happy classroom with teachers that she feels safe with. But if she doesn’t change and accept new people and welcome new experiences, she’ll never fully become the person that God is calling her to be.
Once John Brown accepted the Midnight Cat and made her welcome, he became contented and happy. He also made a new friend and developed a new and better relationship with Rose. So not only did he still have Rose, he had a new friend in the Midnight Cat.
My challenge to the Year 8 girls at the beginning of this year is not to think as John Brown did when he first saw the Midnight Cat. Instead of being afraid of the changes that will come in Year 8, welcome and embrace them.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Molly Rizun (8/61) for her work as a Ball Kid at the Australian Open again this year. What an experience for her over the two-week period of tennis. She covered a lot of courts over this time with professionalism but her most memorable was doing Dylan Alcott’s Semi Final on KIA Arena at the nets. To be a Ball Kid for Australian of Year, Dylan's second last game of his professional career was an absolute privilege and something she will never forget! Molly displayed all the values for Tennis Australia over this period of time through extreme heat and she should be very proud of herself.
Congratulations also to Eve Dzuriek (8/60) who is now ranked second in Victoria in the under 14 High Jump. Eve competed in the Country Championships on the 30 January in Bendigo. A week later Eve managed her personal best with a jump of 1.45 metres. Congratulations to Eve for her hard work, commitment and work ethic.
Congratulations to the Year 8 girls who have embraced all that life offers them so far this year. Through the abundance of their hearts, they are flourishing and producing good things, because just as John Brown was they are better for taking the chance!
Bill Fitzsimons
Level Leader:
Year 8