An Oak Grove School Update • November 2022

November 2022

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From the Head of School

Gratitude is Humbling

On Friday, as I sat down at my desk to write you a Thanksgiving message, our Iguana preschool class came to my office window. I opened the window, crouched down to meet them eye-to-eye to hear about what they had to say. One shared, “We are writing what we are thankful for and putting it on the art thing.” They were referring to the Gratitude Art Installation created by art teacher Brian Thornhill. It was originally installed early this month outside of Main House, but got wet and damaged during the recent rain. Brian has since repaired it and reinstalled it inside, next to the Coffee Bar. I hope you have an opportunity to add your thoughts to it as well.

Gratitude is humbling. It reminds us that our gifts and abilities are not owed to us. Being grateful allows us to feel the fullness of the beauty in our lives. Sometimes we feel the deepest gratitude when something has been removed from us – not having the use of a part of our body after an injury, being hungry and not having access to food, losing someone we love. . .

There is a children’s book I read to my children each Thanksgiving when they were growing up. It is called The Table Where Rich People Sit, by Byrd Baylor. In the book, the daughter of an impoverished family calls a family meeting to discuss how they can make more money. Her parents agree to have the discussion, but first want to calculate what riches they already have, which includes the health of their children, the ability to sleep outside together under the sky, the freedom to explore the mountain where they live. The daughter begins to realize that money may not be as important as she thought. Could her family really be rich after all? Also, they realize that the sun is setting, so they cut the meeting short to watch that instead.

I think about this book often. What would I pay to have healthy children if mine were seriously ill? How much money would I spend to be outdoors if I wasn’t allowed to leave my house? What would I give to laugh with my father again or to sit with my sister? The funny thing is, the most valuable things often cannot be purchased.

Taking a moment to acknowledge appreciation for something or someone in our lives has a profound impact on our wellness. It boosts dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters in the brain that improve mood. The act of writing down our thoughts has a deeper cognitive impact than just thinking it. Writing and then speaking creates the largest change in our neural pathways.

I, for one, am deeply grateful to spend my days on this campus, to work somewhere that never feels like work, and to be a part of the Oak Grove community. Thank you for joining me in this learning journey.

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