I find that inspiration for my writing comes at different times and through a variety of channels, and this week was no different. This week, the timing of the inspiration seemed perfect.
In a previous blog, I explained that I have been meeting with our current Grade 12s for lunch alongside Mr. Hill, our Head of the Senior School. One of our lunches had been moved to a different location and, as I waited for the girls’ arrival, I read some of the information posted around the room. Amongst these posts was a quotation by Paul Coelho:
“Life has many ways of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen at once.”
I quickly copied the quotation into my notes, as I knew I had found my inspiration for this week.
The quotation had come on the heels of an interview that morning in which I was asked to share my and St. Clement’s, hopes for our girls. I explained that we felt strongly that our goal was to have our girls leave the School for their next stage of life with a passion for all that they do, a curiosity that inspires learning, and the courage to step outside their comfort zones. When the interviewer asked me to clarify what I meant by the need for courage, I explained that we know that life never presents us with a straight path; that each one of us is faced with times when we find ourselves without an answer, without a direction or, alternatively, with too much coming at us at once and no clear sense of what to do next. While being able to problem solve is a fundamental key to success, it is even more important to work to ensure confidence and courage during the uncomfortable stages prior to solving a problem or dealing with a dilemma.
As Coelho says, life has many ways of testing a person’s will. What St. Clement’s wants to ensure is that our girls stand strong when being tested, as it is that strength that enables them to move forward.
