To what end?
I find myself asking that question quite a bit these days and months. I recently purchased Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. I understand that it examines the Covid-19 impact through 2022 and beyond. With that in mind, I have been praying for, and reflecting upon, mental and spiritual sustenance. Especially given that this is how I felt throughout all of last week: Rossini William Tell Overture Final.
However, when Saturday mid-morning arrived, suddenly the skies cleared and the winds calmed. I gloriously deleted hundreds of pictures of my kids’ schoolwork that I had submitted via Google Classroom in recent months. I then spent 45 minutes yesterday morning (prior to 7am), frantically emailing incorrectly submitted assignments to my kids’ teachers to increase their grades as the trimester closed. Characteristically, the teachers responded immediately with their flexible acceptance and support of this “late” work. I sincerely appreciate their understanding and efforts, but I was challenged to have spent my time focused on those activities.
In founding the earliest Lasallian schools, Saint John Baptist de La Salle made clear his intention and hope for all students: “salvation.” Education was provided for the purpose of salvation. In today’s vernacular, I would use the description, “libration.” We teach to liberate our students from any and all obstacles that impede them from reaching their fullest, God-given potential.
And so today as I write, while my daughter completes her spelling worksheet next to me as I prepare for a Zoom, and our boys are at their desks learning with their classmates via Google Meet, my hope for my children is that they grow while feeling known and loved. I appreciate their teachers for I do know how much they care for my children. But to be honest, I will focus most intently on our dialogue during our end-of-day daily family walk. This experience of learning- and working- from home is so unnatural, and so I try to do whatever I can do as a dad to provide the breaks- and learning- that my kids need and deserve. Some days are more successful than others!
Pacing myself. Sustainability of mental, physical and spiritual health. Growth. These are my hopes as we endure this challenging situation. These are the reasons why we’ve purchased wetsuits for each of us, heading into the winter. We wish to access the beach like we never have before, for our own fitness and well-being. The beach is what drew me to California over 20 years ago, and it is a big part of what keeps me here. So we shall see what the winter ahead presents to us as a family.
As we head into winter, I encourage you to reflect upon what may be your wetsuit that you can wear to support your emotional and physical health.
Keeping the Faith 