Dear Families and Friends of Trinity,
Life is forever evolving; the day we are born we begin to change. Everything in life undergoes changes, from our elected officials to seasons. So, why is it hard for human beings to accept change? Maybe it is fear of the unknown. Maybe it is because we know what we like and accept, so if something different comes along, even if it is better, it is out of our comfort zone and we are ready to reject it. This approach stems from the human defense mechanism. But, the truth is that we are not the people we were years ago as we age and we shouldn’t continue to be the same people either. Too often students are afraid to get out of their comfort zone and take risks, but when they do and they trust in change they are rewarded with growth and a new understanding. The same can be said of Trinity. Change is good and you should never stop growing.
Life has more lessons to teach than we have time to learn. No matter where you are in life there is always room for improvement. For some it is easy to accept change and strive towards growth. For others, it means taking big risks beyond their comfort level and it takes a certain amount of self-awareness and humility to get to the next stage of progression as people. Accepting uncertainty is half the battle.
Being from Boston, I would like to share this story of how we look at stress and how it is related to change.
How do lobsters grow? A lobster is a soft and mushy animal that lives inside of a rigid outside shell and that rigid shell does not expand. Well then, how does a lobster grow as that shell becomes very confining? The lobster feels under pressure and uncomfortable. So the lobster goes under a rock formation to protect itself from predators, it then casts off it its shell and produces a new shell and finally, only then, is it able to grow. Eventually, that new shell will become very uncomfortable as it continues to grow and right back under the rocks…..and the process of growth repeats itself if the lobster wants to grow.
The stimulus for the lobster to be able to grow is that it feeling of discomfort. If the lobster didn’t feel uncomfortable it would not grow. Remember that in the time of stress, feelings of discomfort are the signals of growth and if we can use adversity properly, we grow stronger.
Correction to the Week at a Glance: Family Night/LUAU was listed as Thursday October 13th… it should be “Friday, October 13”. Family Night begins at 5:00 and the LUAU starts at 6:00.
With warm regards,
Mark J. Ravelli
Head of School