Dear Students,
So much of what we see and hear in the world right now is clouded with negativity and division, and it can feel overwhelming. It’s important to remember: this isn’t the whole story, and it doesn’t have to be yours. The world is also full of goodness, generosity, and hope. YOU are part of that hope.
I’m going a little “old school” here. When I was in college, there was a song You Can Call Me Al, by Paul Simon in which a man going through a midlife crisis asks, “Who’ll be my role model now that my role model is gone?” It’s a simple question, but a profound one. We all need role models—people who show us what it looks like to live with integrity, choose kindness, and believe in the possibility of a better future.
If you want role models, you don’t have to look far. Look at the people who greet you girls every day when you walk into your classes:
Does Mrs. Baxter ever let you settle for less than your best?
Does Mrs. Tocci ever skip the chance to give you helpful, encouraging feedback?
Has Mrs. Eller ever shown you anything other than love?
Have you ever seen Mr. Franzini without a smile?
These and the other teachers at Holy Names are the people who pour their energy into you. They see your gifts, your dignity, your potential. They believe you can change the world—and they’re right.
When Sweethearts & Heroes visited us recently, Tom Murphy and Sgt. Rick Yarosh suggested HOPE stands for “Hold On, Possibilities Exist.” Advent invites us into that same spirit. It is a season of expectation, of looking toward light even when the days are short and dark. The lights on houses, the trees decorated in anticipation of Christmas morning—all of these are signs pointing to something deeper: that love is real, and hope is real.
Two millennia ago, hope arrived in the form of a child in a manger. Today, hope arrives in a different form: you. You are the light and the love this world needs right now.
The man going through the midlife crisis in Paul Simon’s song finds hope:
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says, “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!”
As we progress through Advent, may you be reminded of the hope that surrounds you—and the hope you bring.
– Dr. Kilbridge