If there has been a mantra for me these last three years, it has been the one above. With each wave of Covid, social unrest, disruptions to our business of running school, cancellations of beautifully laid plans, you name it; I have tried to see the silver lining in the challenges we have faced as a community. The history of this phrase is an interesting one. It has its origins in Persia. A Sultan asked his council of wise advisors to create a phrase that would bring him happiness and hope during difficult times. The Sufi wise man who won the contest inscribed this phrase on the inside of a ring and gifted it to the Sultan. Jewish folklore attributes the origins to King Solomon, and the phrase is used throughout literature and history by figures such as English poet Edward FitzGerald and Abraham Lincoln.
I must admit the phrase has served me well. While the last three years have often been challenging, each challenge also held hope and built resilience. The source of my hope? That’s easy. It’s community. Specifically, it’s our Charlotte Latin School community. I don’t think anyone can deny that Covid and events beyond our control have affected our community. We’ve not been able to gather as we have in years past, and frequently we’ve been masked and socially distant. Not ideal for relationship building and community experience, but we’re Hawk Strong. Strengthening relationships took hard work and deliberate action. Whereas mental health and wellness were topics of interest pre-Covid, now they are seen as critical concerns. Like many things in life, it is not until things you took for granted become scarce do you really understand their value. I put community in this category. It’s such an important yet natural part of life at Latin that we rarely think about it — until recently. You are a big part of why Latin is such a special place to be. Thank you for hanging in there with us. Thank you for coming to events masked, unmasked, observing social distancing, gathering outside (for events typically inside), eating boxed meals, and bidding online. It’s been a wild ride, but we’ve grown stronger together through it all. Unstopped by roadblocks, we’ve gathered and celebrated as Hawks — appreciating each event and looking forward to planning and attending the next — to be in community with one another.
I am grateful for our Seniors and how they inspired our student body to come together. Throughout the year, they displayed our core values in action, lived our mission, and met each setback with strength."
Touchdown Tailgate and May Day Play Day shattered attendance records as two of our major community-building events. Our Latin community wanted to gather; we needed to gather. We became stronger by gathering and spending more time together and strengthening the bonds weakened by Covid.
I am grateful for our Seniors and how they inspired our student body to come together. Throughout the year, they displayed our Core Values in action, lived our Mission, and met each setback with strength. Their enthusiasm was a positive contagion that spread happiness and restored Latin’s immune system. During the Covid winter wave, easily our most trying month of the pandemic, our students packed Carmel Christian’s arena and left it all on the court like our boys basketball team. Despite losing the game, resilience and hope won the day. The score did not reflect what we found in ourselves. Together we are Latin and there is nothing better. Over this year, punctuated by setbacks and challenges, Latin’s true character continues to shine in the classrooms, on our fields and stages, and far beyond Latin’s 128 acres.
"This too shall pass" is a powerful mantra and reminder of the impermanence of the moment. It sharpens my appreciation for our Latin community and the ties that bind us together. Community matters, and ours is a very special one. I wish you a very happy, healthy, and enjoyable summer break.
With gratitude for a job I love,
Chuck Baldecchi