Darkness
This shows the essential nature of our principals and staff with our young charges. It certainly would be understood if we withdrew from in person instruction. If we did, this sort of important work would not get done. So we continue to battle the virus and all the craziness that it brings. Our teachers are front line workers! The dividends of their work may not be seen immediately but as COVID loosens its grip, we will come out of the darkness. When we do our students and families will have benefits from their untold sacrifices and willingness to overcome their fears and show up each day for our young scholars. When St. Thomas came back from a quarantine event over Thanksgiving, I texted Rachael Dengler, the principal, with this question: "How's it feel to be back?" She responded quickly: "So GOOD...I missed these kids." We are essential because we are working with our most precious gift..."these kids!" I love a song by a Portland band called Pink Martini called Hang on Little Tomato. It's a little over three minutes long but it does strike an hopeful note!
Good Event, Bad Event
I first read this in an NCR article about Joan Chittiser where she referenced it. In this Taoist tale, an old peasant has only one son and one fine stallion with which to farm his land. All the other farmers in the valley pity him for his poverty but the old man says of his situation simply, “Bad event, good event, who knows?”
Then, one day, the farmer’s only stallion bolts from his hitching post and thunders up into the mountains, leaving the farmer and his son to do all the sod-breaking work by themselves. Neighbors commiserate but the old man says simply, “Bad event, good event, who knows?”
Soon after, one of the wild stallions throws the son, falls on him and breaks his legs, crippling him for life. The peasants grieve such a loss but the old man says simply, “Bad event, good event, who knows?” Then, one day in the fall, just at the beginning of the harvest, the local warlord rides into the valley and conscripts into his army every young man there with one exception: the crippled, limping, apparently useless son of the old farmer.
The other farmers in the valley wail in despair at their misfortune and the old man’s luck, but he says simply, “Good event, bad event, who knows?”
The wonderful readings of Advent from Isaiah continually voice this. One of my favorites and, interestly enough, goes along with Christian Dallavis' blog today is the following:
have seen a great light;
Upon those who lived in a land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing;
They rejoice before you as people rejoice at harvest,
as they exult when dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
The rod of their taskmaster,
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for fire.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast and forever peaceful,
which he confirms and sustains
By judgment and justice,
both now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
