From the Headmaster
Hens Do Not Lay Eggs in the Market
It is my pleasure to welcome all to a new semester. I hope those in our community fortunate to have a break found time to slow down, be still and recuperate from what is often busy lives. One of our hopes for a Marist graduate is that he learns to nurture his contemplative life. We must dare to offer our boys a taste of silence. It is not the outer noise of mobile phones, games and music we need to be concerned about in terms of the young in our care. It is the inner stillness and their connection and ability to access that we need to nurture.
Many years ago while working in a boarding school I used to run evening vigils twice a term with times of silence punctuated by occasional music. I did not think that any of the boys would be interested, but the church always filled up. They were hungry for silence. Why? In silence, we sometimes glimpse the intimacy of God. In stillness there is no moral pressure, no manipulation, no demand that one conforms to a group, just the chance to be. There is a Sufi saying: 'hens do not lay eggs in the market place.' So I hope those who had time away took time to loiter, to rest and refuse the busyness of the world.
Starting Well
Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results”. While this may not be true in all situations, Einstein’s quote has a certain validity when applied to improving study habits. Too often students find themselves exclaiming, “I will never ever leave study this late again!” as they convert their rooms into bombsites in preparation for examinations. Sadly, for some, they repeat such statements each semester proving Einstein correct. The start of a new semester presents the opportunity to change past habits and address areas of improvement. This is never an easy task, requiring patience, encouragement and support from school and home.
The Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews held last term in the Junior School and next week in the Senior School will provide the opportunity to hone in on areas where improvement can be achieved and discuss strategies to ensure the second semester is an opportunity for further growth.
It was the Benedictines with their motto ‘ora et labora’ (To pray and to work) who first evolved a definite ethic, work as a way to holiness. So perhaps the best way to live involves some elements of both a contemplative life as well as ensuring time to tackle the knotty and many commitments and tasks of daily life. I wish the boys all the very best in their endeavours this semester.
Matthew Hutchison
Headmaster
