2024.04.22
English Day – April 19
This past Friday was English Day, a regular event held here at Eiwa. On English Day the whole staff tries its best to use English in the halls and classrooms, and the morning service is given by Stuart or me. Today was my turn, and I focused on spring with a passage from the Song of Solomon, chapter 2, verses 11-12: For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The spring theme was also reflected in the hymn which I mentioned recently in another post – In the Bulb There is a Flower. Around this time of year in Canada, we often see crocuses, which grow from bulbs, poking up through the ground. In this way they have become a symbol of both spring and Easter.
The spring theme was also reflected in the hymn which I mentioned recently in another post – In the Bulb There is a Flower. Around this time of year in Canada, we often see crocuses, which grow from bulbs, poking up through the ground. In this way they have become a symbol of both spring and Easter.
There is of course a lot of symbolism in this hymn. We sang about bulbs becoming flowers, seeds becoming trees, and cocoons turning into butterflies. But positive transformation also takes place within people, especially as they change from children into adults. A lot of this transformation is hidden from us. We look at people from the outside and we don’t realize all the wonderful ways in which they are developing and growing. We may judge people from the outside, thinking we see the truth, but in fact we know very little about what is going on inside.
Similarly, we ourselves should realize that what we are now is not what we will always be. A large tree is not born as a tree – it develops into one from the tiniest of seeds. If it receives sunlight, warmth, water and good soil, it can grow. People also need things to grow, things like curiosity, human connections, and courage to be yourself. I heartily encourage all our students to grow strong in their own ways, and look forward to seeing their transformation into young adults in the coming years.
Similarly, we ourselves should realize that what we are now is not what we will always be. A large tree is not born as a tree – it develops into one from the tiniest of seeds. If it receives sunlight, warmth, water and good soil, it can grow. People also need things to grow, things like curiosity, human connections, and courage to be yourself. I heartily encourage all our students to grow strong in their own ways, and look forward to seeing their transformation into young adults in the coming years.
