This is probably the hardest column I have had to write in my short time doing this. What to say? What would I want people to know? Think? Feel? What could I possibly say in a time when there is so much uncertainty in our community and world?
I thought I would focus on the power of the four-letter word. Some of you are probably thinking, social distancing has really had an impact on this guy, he has lost it. It seems that growing up the concept of the four-letter word had a negative connotation in the Peters’ household, as I am sure so many of you had the same thought.
On March 17, as for many of us, our world was turned upside down. It was a Tuesday, and I was supposed to be “principaling” at St. Victor School. I was to be doing daily announcements, teaching religion, having recess duty and lunch room duty. I am sure I had a million emails, meetings and other things to do. But instead I was in an “almost empty” school building, eerily quiet. One of the teacher’s aides asked what she could do to help, and we decided it was time to put something on the sign outside of the school. We decided together it should say: Be Kind and Hopeful.
Pretty simple, yet very powerful. Two clear messages (and two four-letter words): Kind and Hope.
From that moment on, I got this idea in my head, what other four-letter words are going to carry me through this unprecedented time in all of our lives? I started to generate a list and made it like a game, a “four-letter word game” and thought I would write a little about some of my favorites.
If there is a recurring theme in my columns it usually revolves around one word: Life. Life is a gift given to us by God. A chance each and every day to make a difference in the world around us. For some, life may seem pretty tough right now, and I get that. Being alone, away from friends and family can have a profound effect on each of us. But if you have learned anything in this age of social distancing, it’s that we need people, and people need you. Now more than ever you need to reach out to your loved ones, phone calls, text messages, FaceTime, Zoom or even an app called House Party (that my younger nieces and nephews turned me on to) and many more are available for you to make contact with the ones you love. You need to check in on one another. I received a message on Facebook from my high school classmate and next door neighbor who I had not heard from in 30 years. She wanted to say hi, and shared with me as a teacher in Los Angeles she was scared for her students and missed them so much. It wasn’t a long conversation but it was so meaningful in these times. That is what life is and should be: meaningful experiences that can bring joy to one another. If you haven’t started living your life, it’s time to pick up the phone and do so.
The next four-letter word that I wanted to reflect on was pray. Through this edict of “Safer at Home,” many of us are missing our faith communities. I miss the opportunity to say prayers with my students and to attend mass each Thursday and Sunday. But you know what? I have discovered through the power of the internet, so many different ways to increase my prayer life. I have the time to “attend” virtual mass each and every day. The other day I took a walk and listened to the Stations of the Cross while doing so. I have listened to podcasts, watched videos and prayed during Zoom meetings with coworkers. To pray has taken on a whole new meaning during the COVID-19 situation. I am proud to say that during this time I feel I have grown so much in my faith. My intentions that I pray are for those who are sick, those who care for them like nurses and doctors, for first responders and for each and every one of us. My prayer life has been a strong force carrying me through these uncertain times.
On Sunday, April 12 Christians around the world will celebrate Easter. If there is one thing that the season of Easter brings to us is the one word that we all seem to need right now: hope. Times are tough, but we need to have hope. We need hope in our government leaders, we need to have hope in our medical professionals, we need to have hope in all who continue to work, we need to have hope that things will turn out for the best. When Jesus was placed in the tomb on Good Friday, it seemed that the world had lost all hope. It was not until three days later that he proved to us that there is hope in the world. He instilled in us that nothing is impossible for God. You need to believe that we will get through these times. That life isn’t perfect now, but the hope of the Resurrection, that which was impossible became possible, is what we need to focus on. Our time “in the tomb” may last longer than three days, three weeks or even three months, but we will emerge from this tomb. When we emerge we will see that life continues to be truly amazing, that when we pray we are thanking God for all that we have been given, we will see that time is a gift from God to share with those people who mean the most to us, we will continue to be kind to those folks who are suffering still with a loss of loved ones, jobs or other things. Above all there will be hope; hope in each other, hope in our world and hope that another four-letter word: Love will conquer hate and fear (which are two four-letter words that I refuse to include in my game).
That’s how you play the four-letter word game, why don’t you join me in the weeks ahead. We all have the time to do so. Say your prayers and wash your hands, and find hope that lies within.
— Joe Peters is the principal at St. Victor School in Monroe.
