Counting My Blessings

Friday was Faith Day. It is intended as a break for our students, and a much-needed day of contemplation and thanksgiving for those of us who have answered our calling to accept our role as educators in this unique and separate systems. I feel fortunate everyday to work in an environment where I can freely live my faith and attempt to model for our kids what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ on earth. Days like these are especially important to me because they afford me the gift of time - time to reflect, to relate with the staff and even time to catch up with my principal on the drive up. This year's event was held at Loretto Maryholm (check out the view in the photo above) and while I will admit to have moaned and groaned about the distance away from the usual work location, I later appreciated the drive up because of the good, uninterrupted conversation that was had during the car ride up. We are so mired in the daily grind that we sometimes forget the importance of making time for building relationships and to connect on any other level other than the business of schooling. I strongly believe that Catholic education is my calling, my life's work and how I contribute to the ministry of the Church. In each encounter, I seek to find answers to the mysteries of faith, of life. I hope in my example to our young people that I demonstrate that our faith is real, something that is lived out and practical, not just proclaimed.  I want our kids to know that while it isn't always easy to be a discipline of Jesus in this fallen world, it's not such an unbearable burden. Days like Faith Day also afford me the quiet contemplation we so often lack in the busy-ness of the everyday to reflect on our journey. Our guest speaker this year was Theresa Gadoury, a consecrated woman living in the world. She reminded us of of the evolutionary nature of faith and how it grows from love and trust and how that same process of faith in God transfers to faith in others. Sometimes, it's good to not speak, to hear the much-needed wisdom of others. In this case, she began her presentation with a prayer to God to let us all hear what we needed to hear from her and it really did the trick. I left Faith Day feeling a sense of peace that seemed to have been absent since the craziness of the school year began. Sometimes, you have to drive a bit of a distance to find that kind of serenity. It was totally worth it.