PAUSE 4 THOUGHT

Pause 4 Thought

27 March 2020

‘Peer deeply into yourself. There is a source of strength that will spring up within you, if only you look.’ – Marcus Aurelius

Today is the last day of term. Today the school is almost empty. Today I have had 3 Google Meets and my husband has texted to say he still can’t find any tinned tomatoes to buy. Today – feels very strange.

And yet – this topsy-turvy existence with much of life turned upside down, is, quite quickly, becoming a new normal. A normal that means learning how to do many things differently – things we usually do routinely and without conscious effort. So shopping, exercising, socialising, learning, work – we are all having to find different ways to accomplish these activities. Everyone – children, parents, teachers, colleagues, families – is doing their very best to adapt to the changing situation. I have not yet come across anyone who is not trying their very best and working very hard.

I would ask us all, as we strive to meet the expectations of others and those we place on ourselves, to pause…..

……to offer others and ourselves some compassion and understanding. To keep our expectations realistic and recognise that others, and we, are doing and being what we can. There will be mistakes. There will be bad days as well as golden ones. We will feel angry sometimes, as well as hopeful. Our children will do, and feel, likewise.

And once we’ve managed to be gentler with others and with ourselves, I hope we will settle a little during the next few weeks. If not into the Easter holidays that we had envisaged, then into a period of enjoyment of the simpler pleasures life has to offer. Gratitude is an under-rated means to happiness. Try asking yourself and your daughter to share  (or keep a journal perhaps) of 3 things to be thankful for each day. Three good things that happened. Today I am grateful for – the eggs a colleague brought in to share; the peace afforded by a plane-free sky; the uplifting WhatsApp from Mrs Owen of her 6 week old baby Eva.

My heart goes out to you all as we enter the holiday period and I wish you all very well. Please do keep in touch. I will send another Gateway message just before Easter.

Mrs D-C

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