Enthusiasm

I have a confession; I like climbing trees. Yes, I’m an adult. No, I don’t do it often. However, show me a sprawling fig or a conifer with a few good branches that are low enough to the ground for me to pull myself up on, and I would have difficulty saying no. Being up high, taking time to appreciate the scenery, seeing things from a different perspective; I find it exhilarating. I don’t know if it is because I happen to be relatively short in stature, or if it stems from growing up in a rural environment where I was encouraged to spend a lot of time outside exploring nature. It is probably a combination of both, but regardless, I’m probably not the person you’d typically expect to find up a good climbing tree. I’ve been told that I’m too old to call that 'fun', that I’ll hurt myself, and asked if I care what others think. None of those comments can change the fact that I’m enthusiastic about climbing trees.

Enthusiasm can be described as a 'strong feeling of excitement' or an 'eagerness to be involved' and is often synonymous with words such as hope, passion, joy and excitement. Finding initial enthusiasm for something is easy, whether it be something small like planting a garden or planning a holiday, or something larger scale such as doing your best in an assessment task or working towards career advancement. Maintaining that enthusiasm is the part that can be more difficult, with long term goals and dreams where we don’t always see results for our effort right away. How do we do that? 

I’d like to suggest that one aspect of it could be consistently doing smaller things that we are enthusiastic about. Consistently engaging in things that bring us joy, things that build connection with others. I see enthusiasm in students everyday – playing a friendly game of basketball during lunch time, arriving at school in the morning and seeing their friends, mastering a new skill, pride in a personal achievement. I’m often inspired by the enthusiasm of younger people, the way their eyes light up over seemingly small things. Samuel Ullman, an American poet said, "years may wrinkle the skin – but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul".  I’m content with letting the wrinkly skin happen, but I don’t want a wrinkly soul.  

The second aspect that I believe contributes to maintaining enthusiasm is understanding our value in God’s eyes. The certainty that we are known and loved unconditionally by Him, and that He has promised us eternity; THAT makes me enthusiastic about the future. It makes me want to show His love to others so they can feel that same enthusiasm and hope for their future, here and now. 1 John 5:11 promises, "And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."

My hope for you this week is that you feel valued and loved by God, and that you find time to pursue something that brings you joy. If that feels like too big a task, start small. Maybe try (carefully) climbing a tree! 

Mrs Christie Venegas

Stage 6 Coordinator