Each new day further into Spring as the once winter-desolate campus comes back to life tunes my heart to the beauty of this work – verdant lush grasses, flowering trees, and perennials along with their sweet smells waft through the air. There is new growth in the shrubbery and the singsong of the mama robin welcomes me to campus each day. Even the geese let me know it is Spring by their return (and the need to keep them out of the playground). The revived life moves me to gratitude and reflection on the work of this founding year.
The work of fall and winter brought Spring to the hallways and classrooms, too. Science project plants have sprouted and thrive right alongside our scholars who are all looking so much taller. The seeds of Literacy have sprouted, mathematicians have grown in Singapore Math, and budding philosophers put thoughts together in the Upper School.
Our fine arts faculty has cultivated beauty in our scholars all year long. The halls are blooming with works of art and the art room brims with more poised for display at our first annual art show later this month in conjunction with our Spring music program where we will debut our Alma Mater created and arranged over the winter by two talented and giving faculty members.
Can you imagine always winter? All work and no warm, sunny breezes?
Remember C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when Susan and her siblings (minus Edmund who sneaks away) hear about Aslan? Susan questions whether it is safe to meet such a man who she learns is no man at all but a lion. Mr. Beaver foreshadows what is to come when he replies to Susan with “Safe? Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.” And with the children’s arrival in that fantastical land, Spring and the hope of redemption sets the children off on an adventure, but not an easy or safe one.
As with all good adventures, there are difficulties – highs and lows – risk. I remain ever thankful and humbled by our adventure and the good Lord who has seen us through our founding year into this lovely Spring.
We have ventured through the fall and long, cold winter to the precipice of completion and just when we may feel like the days are too long and too hard, the air smells fresh and clean, the flowers smile at us, and the leaves wave hello and goodbye each day revitalizing our tired and weary hearts. And so, we press on to finish this beautiful founding year and trust that the goodness of it will flourish in the years to come.
