Pathways

Yesterday I shut my laptop and used the last hours of sunlight to prune a hedge in my garden. This hedge runs along a fence line and my kelpie disappears behind it regularly. As I pruned back overgrown branches, I discovered a well-worn pathway that creates a circuit. Lewis follows the exact same pathway each time he inspects the boundary of his yard. 

For the past two weeks our value has been the pursuit of excellence. I laughed to myself when I noted the value, aware that most of us are just surviving at present. The pursuit of excellence is a high bar when we are just scraping by. However, I have watched with delight and pride at the excellent work presented by our senior students. Exceptional art work, music performances, major projects, high quality assignments and near perfect test scores: all evidence of the hard work of our students.

The thing about excellence is that it is not about one moment in time. It is about a pattern of behaviour. Aristotle is quoted as saying, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore is not an act, but a habit." Think back to when you learned to drive, play a new instrument or engage in a new sport. We all know that when we are learning something new, it feels uncomfortable, hard and frustrating. And yet, with time and practice, it feels more natural. As I observe the skills of our senior students, I can see the commitment to honing skills over an extended period of time. 

Neuropsychologists tell us that learning a new skill involves creating a neural pathway through repetition. At first it may feel uncomfortable, but as we persevere, the pathway becomes more pronounced until we are able to perform the task without thinking. Just as my dog has a well-worn pathway that he habitually follows, God created us to develop pathways that allow us to learn, excel and thrive. By pushing through the uncomfortable stage with repeated attempts, we achieve excellence in all areas of our lives.

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others.  2 Peter 1:5-7

Mrs Deb Cooper

Principal