Palmer Trinity School

Summer is officially underway, bringing with it all the excitement and eager anticipation of what might unfold. Whether it's traveling somewhere exotic, relaxing at home, attending family reunions, or taking the kids to camp, I truly encourage you to find time to disconnect — to unplug and simply "be." And yes, as difficult as it sounds, that means to turn your cell phone and your other electronic devices off! If you can, try to do it for 24 hours. While finding the actual time to be alone may be challenging, the rewards are surely well worth the effort. As the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato so wisely tells us: " The bow that's always bent will quickly break; but if unstrung will serve you at your need. So let the mind some relaxation take, to come back to its task with fresher heed…" Whatever the scenario, find a way to get away from distractions, and establish time for real solitude. Silence really can be golden and, as you will soon discover, it is often where the best creative thought lies. As noted American writer Carl Sandburg so astutely writes: " Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln never saw a movie, heard a radio, or looked at t.v. They had "loneliness" and knew what to do with it. They were not afraid of being lonely because they knew that was when the creative mood in them would work." Take time to disconnect, allowing your "creative mood" go to work. Maybe it's an early morning jog, or a leisurely stroll in the evening. Maybe it's sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll by. Maybe it's curling up on the couch with a good book. Maybe it's a simple, spontaneous "mind drift," while on vacation. Whatever the case may be, spending part of your day without the distractions of "all things electronic" will be well worth it, I promise. Make the time to pause, and take advantage of simply "being," knowing the power such a moment brings. Each morning, I begin my day here at School with a bit of quiet time, often reading a short devotional, or simply soaking in a bit of solitude. As I reflect upon this recently completed academic year, I am incredibly grateful for this community. Completing my fifth year at Palmer Trinity, I am sincerely proud of just "where we stand" as a School, and I sincerely believe we have an incredibly bright future before us. Each day brings new adventures, enticing possibilities to grow and learn, and endless opportunities for wonderful moments to occur. We have so much to be grateful for, and I am so very appreciative of the support of this community. For me, the sage words of the medieval German philosopher, Meister Eckhart, serve as a simple reminder of the power of gratitude: " If the only prayer you said in your whole life was 'Thank you', that would suffice." Thank you. I wish you and yours a healthy, happy, and — dare I say — quiet Summer. PAT R I C K R O B E R T S M E S S A G E F R O M T H E H E A D O F S C H O O L S U MME R 2 0 1 9 5

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