We have only been back at school for a matter of days, yet our hearts are full following a glorious day at the Mueller Fete on Saturday. To see the smiles on the faces of the children, along with the donut sugar and face paint, was a joy to behold. Thank you to the many in our community who contributed in some way to this event. It is always a highlight of the year!
Last week we also had a guest in the school, Dr Jon Eckert from Baylor University in Texas. He spent time in some of the classrooms and around the school, meeting students, and he provided professional development for the staff. His area of research and expertise is in “gritty optimism”. The type of resilience and perseverance that retains the joy and gratitude of being a part of something purposeful.
Notably, he spoke of the difference between happiness and flourishing. Happiness feels good but is fleeting and circumstantial. Flourishing, however, is thriving across multiple domains (physical, emotional, relational, spiritual) and contributing to the greater good in a context you care about.
It is flourishing that we seek for our students at Mueller rather than just happiness. To flourish, we need to accept that struggle will be a part of what we do. It is joy that is the fuel for this struggle and the pathway to flourishing. Your child might have had “the best day ever” at the fete this year. This is a wonderful thing and the driving force behind why we hold a fete that is open to the whole community. They may also have some days which were tougher – they had to strive to solve a problem, work through a friendship issue or complete a task that they didn’t want to. Each of these elements is an important part of flourishing.
My prayer for our students this term is that they will know the joy of Christ as they learn, grow and flourish in community. That they will be able to take on hard things and become what they were created to be and do the good works set before them. (Ephesians 2:10).
Enjoy your week!
Todd Langford
