Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community,
Welcome to the last day of Term 1 after what has been a very busy and, in many ways, rewarding term. Although we are still experiencing the season of Lent, like you, I look forward to the upcoming Easter season, the Pascal Mystery and the opportunity to continue to focus on relationships — relationships with each other, with God and with our Church. Relationship is central to our community and the relational environment we experience each day is central to the learning environment we provide.
Two events over the last week have highlighted to me the importance of relationship and how it is the building block of community.
Athletics Carnival
Last Friday, the College held our annual Athletics Carnival. It is a day of athletics competition in the truest sense of sportsmanship, and a day of community celebration involving students, parents and staff. There is a lot of unseen work that is done to prepare for the event by our sports staff, ground staff, the P&F and by all staff on the day. It is an enormous team effort, with each person contributing to the success of the day, which I often describe as organised chaos. This year the weather certainly contributed to a great carnival atmosphere. As the big day approached forecasts were studied and the experience of the cold wet, wintery Saturday that followed certainly highlighted how blessed we were.
All of the above helped to make the day a success, but they in themselves do not define the success. The success of the day lay in the relationships that were so obviously present. Success is defined by Year 12 students leading the way and working with staff to organise houses. Success is defined by the friendly, supportive competition. Success is defined by the obvious house spirit. Success is defined by the many parents who took time from work to be present to provide food and services to the students. Success is defined by the respect for ‘the other’ that is so obvious within our community. Surely our world needs such respect and compassion. Days like our Athletics Carnival give me great cause to reflect, give thanks and to enjoy our community and the obvious respect that is present. Congratulations to Carr House on narrowly winning the carnival with the most points at the end of the day.
Term 1 Student Progress Interviews
This last week also saw a change in the usual yearly calendar with the College holding Student Progress Interviews. Like most other members of the teaching staff, I spent Monday night and a considerable part of Tuesday sitting at a desk in the Doyle Centre, being available to parents. Now some may question why when I had very few scheduled interviews. But, to me, this too is an opportunity to experience community. In making myself available to families, I am available for opportunities and feedback or if any problems should arise. Overwhelmingly this was not the case. I spoke to many parents who thanked me and reinforced the positive nature of the experience and even when feedback indicated the need for improvement, this was done with a positive outlook and with genuine concern. I also appreciated parents who spoke to me about the uniform policy published in the last newsletter and the College mobile phone policy and questioned whether it too required further consideration and change. I also appreciated those who just said hello.
Again, such events reinforce for me the importance of relationship within community and as a Faith Community, how could it be any different.
Yesterday I enjoyed the experience of attending and supporting our Senior EISM boys’ cricket team as they played the grand final at Quarry Road Oval against Donvale Christian School, a school that had beaten them during the season. The game was played in great spirits with great respect and I was proud to be there to present the winning cup and medallions to the winning team — who by the way, happened to be MLMC after a closely contested game.
A Reflection
In the past week I came across a lovely article among the many things that I read that I would like to share with joy.
There was a little boy (or it could have been a little girl) who had a bad temper and flew off the handle whenever he didn’t get his own way. His sister was scared of him. His parents worried that whatever they did they would set him off. His friends started to avoid him. One day, his father gave him a bag of nails and a hammer and took him out to the wooden fence. He said, “Every time you lose your temper, you have to hammer a nail into the fence.” On the first day, he hammered 40 nails! But, gradually, the number of nails he hammered began to dwindle. He was beginning to discover it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the hard wood.
One day, he didn’t lose his temper at all. He proudly told his dad who suggested that from now on, every day he held his temper he should pull out one of the nails.
When the last nail was gone he showed his dad who said, “You have done well but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will always be damaged. When you say and do things in anger, they leave a mark. You can say something cruel and apologise but the scar will remain, just like these nail holes. Even when you say you are sorry, the wound stays.” *
What is the best way to deal with our anger? Sometimes, anger is a good thing and drives us to take action against injustice, unfairness and bullying. We can say to ourselves, “I feel angry about this and I am going to do something positive to help stop it”. That’s good anger.
But anger is often aggressive and nasty, hurting other people by hitting them, putting them down or being mean. That is the kind of anger that leaves lasting scars. That kind of anger also hurts the person who feels it.
What makes you angry? What do you do about it? Do you lash out? Do you let your anger simmer?
We all need to learn to recognise our anger and to use it to make the world a fairer, nicer, better place. And to make ourselves fairer, nicer, better people.
As Nelson Mandela said: "No one is born hating another person because of the colour of their skin or their background or their religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. For love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." *
* (Source: Principals' Digests, Volume 25, Number 17)
There is much we could discuss within this story, as it gives me as a parent much to think about. As a community it provides food for thought.
As we approach Easter and the sacrifices made for each of us, I wonder of the many “holes in the fence” and how we might repair the damage.
I hope you all enjoy a wonderful reflective Easter and a restful holiday period.
God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal
