The seasons are changing! While I love the foliage and the crispness in the air, the shorter days and cooler temperatures remind us that winter is approaching. Along the way we want to remember that each season is to be appreciated for its own qualities.

Each fall, my daughter and I make it a tradition over the Columbus Day weekend to take one last stroll on the beach for the year. This year, even with the non-stop rain and heavy wind, we were determined to make the walk, and with raincoats and hoods on, we walked for well over an hour.

The first half of the walk was easy. The wind and rain were at our backs, and we enjoyed quiet conversation as we noticed the erosion of the beach and the many horseshoe crabs that had been washed ashore without the benefit of having anyone throw them back in the water. As we approached the point of the bay, we came across a woman and two fishermen and stopped to speak with them. The woman, a professor of education at Temple, was enjoying the serenity of the moment and although we had never before met, we left wishing we knew her better. The fishermen were trying to catch dinner for the night. They were happy to be there without many others to compete for whatever fish were available.

We paused before we began the mile-plus walk back. From the first step, it was much more difficult to make progress. With the rain and wind in our face, we couldn’t look up without getting soaked by the rain and covered by wind-blown sand; the wind was so strong that it was a struggle to keep our hoods on. For every step forward, it felt as though we took two steps backward. Fortunately, the air itself was very warm. We got into a game of counting the steps taken between jetties—it was wonderful! As we looked out to the water, the wind blew harder and the water got rougher.

Arriving back at our starting point, we brought our summer to a close by putting our feet in the warm and calming water and sharing a special hug. Walking back to the house, the peace of the moment contrasting with the heavy winds and choppy seas reminded me of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. The ocean, as we know, can be paradoxical. In a calm, easy moment it is reinforcing and appealing; in changing weather (or with the appearance of sharks) it can become tormenting, even deadly. Hemingway’s book speaks to the nature of the sea, to the assumptions we make about people and life, and to the importance that process plays in our lives. Each time I read it, I am reminded of the different contexts and possible interpretations that exist in each situation in life. It is truly an illuminating book and it makes me think of a very different kind of book with a similar theme, Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander’s The Art of Possibility. Having re-read both of these books in recent weeks, I thought of the different lessons I learn each time I read them. They both push us to question our assumptions and reevaluate our perspectives. They remind us that things may not be as they appear and that a positive outlook goes a long way to making a difference. 

As an educator and parent, one of the most important lessons I have learned from The Art of Possibility is to come to grips with and understand the assumptions I make when I’m dealing with colleagues, parents, or children—remembering not to pass permanent judgment or draw conclusions about people based on one observation, interaction, or event. As we hold our students and children accountable, it is essential to give them room to grow beyond where they are in the moment. We must be careful not to pigeon-hole them. We must let them spread their wings and fly on their own even if they take bad routes as they go. While we can provide the wisdom of our experiences, our children must live their own lives. It is incumbent upon us to provide appropriate direction for them; it is also essential that we help them to see the possibilities that exist for them. Ideally, we can accomplish this without too many broken wings. It is a challenge!

One person who saw possibilities and worked for them was Rosa Parks, who changed American life when she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in December of 1955. Although it was not possible for her or anyone else to understand the full impact of her decision when she made it, we must wonder what our world would be like today had she not had such courage and conviction. Many people agree that her decision and the resulting Montgomery bus boycott, in which so many people avoided using the buses and walked to work and other places for over a year, became the basis for the success of the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and 1960s. Although she did not like to be in the limelight, she certainly earned the accolades and awards she received, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999. As we mourn her passing, we celebrate her life. She certainly left the world a better and safer place than she found it. In her own way, she lived our motto: Courage for the Deed; Grace for the Doing.
 
With the Shipley Shops over, I want to thank all of the people who participated. It was a wonderful event, one that brought many people together across the School. Being a community that is welcoming, connected, and committed to our students and to one another is what we are all about. It is reinforcing to see people here for different events to support their children and the School. How could I, as the Head of School, ask for more?

I also want to remind you that Lookout Management, Inc. will be administering our parent/guardian survey later this month. It is intended to be comprehensive and to guide us in helping our students to see their possibilities and in helping us to meet their needs. Please fill it out.

My thoughts and wishes are with you. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Warmest regards,

Steven S. Piltch
Head of School