“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey.” It’s the plum rain season at the moment and we are experiencing everything from fluctuating temperatures to downpours so this song is completely apt (just don’t go any further than the first verse).
I had a lovely moment earlier this week. I was sitting in my office doing some report checking projects or something equally boring and through the wall I could hear some lovely voices singing You Are my Sunshine accompanied by the ukulele so I decided to go and investigate. I popped my head into the lesson to find out more and to say thank you for brightening my day. We had a laugh and a joke and then they played as a class for me and it was just a beautiful moment. It occurred to me that one of the best things about the new routines and procedures that we have is that every day I get to say good morning and goodbye to most of our children and these are precious moments. I’m usually outside to say hello but I don’t normally get the opportunity to see individuals in the same way because they come in such droves and are excited to get into school, so it’s more of a general call!
One of the ‘wellbeing’ commitments I have made to myself is to spend more time with the students and I have already had so many memorable times. I have participated in everything from thinking of ‘g’ words with Nursery, having telephone conversations in Reception via bananas, being told not to eat the painting of a watermelon in Y2 to learning about poo with Y4. Our children, and just how wonderful they are, never ceases to amaze me. I’m sure I have said it before, but I will say it again. We couldn’t have such great children if it wasn’t for those around them.
Yesterday, I was invited to see the Y5s for their final assembly of the year and I decided to read them some of one of my favourite books: ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’. It’s a very new favourite given to me by a very old friend (we have stopped counting the years since we met in our first year at uni). One could be forgiven for thinking that it was a purposeful gift with messages about how to get through difficult situations such as we are facing now. However, it wasn’t; it was a Christmas present.
A timely and gentle reminder that life isn’t always ‘ok’, it’s just sometimes less ok than others? One of the things I really like about it is that in the introduction, the author talks about not being good at reading books and liking pictures. He also says that the book is for everyone whether they are eighty or eight and that he would like it to be one to dip into anywhere any time and even start in the middle if you like. So I did.
“Tears fall for a reason and they are your strength not weakness,” said the horse.
“What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said?” asked the boy.
“Help,” said the horse.
“When have you been at your strongest?” asked the boy.
“When I have dared to show my weakness. Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse. “It’s refusing to give up”.
“Sometimes I worry you’ll all realise I’m ordinary,” said the boy.
“Love doesn’t need you to be extraordinary,” said the mole.
“Nothing beats kindness,” said the horse. “It sits quietly beyond all things.”
“Sometimes,” said the horse.
“Sometimes what?” asked the boy.
“Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent.”
We have done, we are doing, and we will continue to do so.
The picture attachments are from the book and hopefully they will make you smile.
This is my penultimate Friday thoughts for this year and is something started in order to keep connections. I haven’t thought much about whether to carry on again next academic year (you might be utterly bored by my ramblings by now), so if it is something you would like me to continue, please let me know.
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