Dear Families,
I cannot be the only audience member who was astonished by the student performance of the play “Everybody” last Saturday night. Although it was funny, the subject matter was serious, and relevant to this moment on our campus.
In some sense, the topic of the play is the question “Why are we here?”—which happens to be a question I enjoy discussing. The play was the perfect choice as we approach the end of a school year, when time seems to pass faster and faster, and our work here, our life in community, takes on a new urgency and intensity. In these last weeks together, I see your children everywhere around campus—they are talking, playing, laughing uproariously, enjoying their time face-to-face, in proximity and community, before it runs out. The energy is high. They are making the most of every minute.
And this is just exactly what they should be doing. I think for all of us packing up our bags and boxes in the coming weeks, we will not forget the moment from the play when Everybody, who is approaching death, tries to bring Stuff with them. But, as we know, “you can't take it with you.” Even worse, Stuff says, “I sort of have a problem where, without really being aware of it, I apparently just like... destroy humans? Does that make sense?”
In the play, and in life, Everybody, alone, and unable to find anyone to accompany them to meet their maker, ultimately discovers that it is Love that endures and survives, that Love is a source of meaning in our lives. And Stuff only clutters up the scene and distracts us from truly living that meaningful life.
I hope, as we prepare to leave campus for the summer, we will all reflect on how little stuff matters, and how little stuff we actually need when we are surrounded by a community filled with love. We will recycle, upcycle, and give away a lot of stuff in the next two weeks. But what would be even better is if we are able to arrive back at St. Andrew’s next year (or at college for our VI Formers) with less stuff and more love. If we could be together at St. Andrew's this intensely and urgently every day, our potential is nearly unlimited.
I am so excited to celebrate the Class of 2022 with the entire school and our graduates’ loved ones next weekend. And I cannot wait to reflect with our underformers and faculty on our first year together, and imagine what next year might be like.
In partnership,
Joy McGrath
- Joy Blog
