Tena koutou katoa. Nga mihi nui atawhai.

As this L4 lockdown drags on for another week, it’s sometimes difficult to find a topic for the weekly newsletter. What would be of interest to our community at this time? So, let’s look for what brings joy to our day, especially in these circumstances. These are my 5 joys for this week.

1. My biggest joy is my daily ‘storytime’ with my grandies. Each afternoon, the Chat function on Messenger rings and the screen always opens to the smiling face of my nearly 3 year old granddaughter. After the usual question – ‘Can I hold gramsie?’ and mum insisting that she will hold the phone – both grandchildren get themselves suitably arranged on the couch so they can see the screen and I read two stories. Their transfixed faces, thumbs in mouths, as they are engrossed in the world of the story, is the highlight of each day.
2. We are preparing for a house move at the end of October and sorting through drawers and cupboards and rediscovering ‘treasures’ and the stories that go with each of them is a joyous trip down memory lane.
3. Logging on and seeing the amazing activities that the students have organised for their peers – always amazed at their talents.
4. I know this one may seem strange but all the Zoom meetings with staff and colleagues from the wider educational world. Being able to connect with other educationalists and gather other perspectives makes me realise how fortunate we are in our community – we have the resources we need to continue to deliver online learning.
5. The joy in waking up each morning (later than normal) and having more time in my day to do the reading and reflecting that is not usually available to me in the busyness of an onsite school day. And having time to get in a walk in the fresh air.

So, can positive thoughts or looking for joy change your life? Shakespeare put it beautifully when he said: ‘For nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so’.