Message from the Head of School

Story appeared in the 2020 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.

BY DAVID ROBERTSON, HEAD OF SCHOOL

“We cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we react to it.”

There has never in recent memory been a better time to consider the concept of ‘resilience.’ No one living today has ever encountered something that has been so truly universal in its impact; every person in every country on Earth has been affected by the pandemic. COVID-19 has sorely tested all of us in a huge variety of ways and yet the adversity has not been all bad. It has caused us all to draw on those qualities and features which go to make up the notion of resilience. In so doing, many of us have been reminded of the saying, “We cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we react to it.” In those reactions lies opportunity and I am so impressed by the way the QMS community responded to the challenges of the past months, figuring out the possibilities and embracing them.

We have collectively shown courage and perseverance. We have overcome disappointment and rejected complaining. We have retained a cheerfulness, modelled optimism and shown a willingness to adapt. All of these attributes define resilience and, at the end of the day, we will bounce back stronger than we were before this period in time. That’s the opportunity that we’ve been given, the possibility of turning a bad situation into a good one. It does require determination, but we can achieve it if we maintain an unshakeable belief in our ability to do so. As a friend of mine used to say, “It’s a little like wrestling with a gorilla, you don’t quit when you’re tired, you quit when the gorilla is tired!”

Though there has been sadness and tragedy in recent months, there has also been amazing stories of heroism, creativity, humour and commitment. As a race, we are at our best when we are tested and we are called upon to help each other. From the devotion and courage of our front-line workers to the selfless acts of kindness of so many, we have been uplifted and inspired. We opened up our hearts and now we can look forward to opening up our societies once more. And as we negotiate all of the challenges that will be with us for the foreseeable future, we must surely have confidence that we can keep fear in its place. To some extent, it’s inevitable that we live with fear, but we must always try to avoid living in fear. There is a big difference.

As a relative newcomer to this school community, I have been struck by the strong connections that have been formed and I am extremely motivated to help us become the absolute best version of ourselves while taking the opportunities that are presenting themselves. No organization is ever truly static; it’s a living breathing entity, ready to act and accomplish. QMS is poised for even greater success in the months and years ahead and I am very confident that we will achieve it. Of course, as we approach our 100th birthday, we will pause many times to reflect on the courage and commitment of our Founders. We can be absolutely certain that they faced adversity and challenges many times as they developed our School. That we are here and about to mark QMS’ milestone birthday speaks volumes about their resilience. The school of today can pay no greater tribute to Miss Denny and Miss Geoghegan than to emulate their approach to that quality of resilience. Our mandate is surely to set the School up for a superb second century and, come what may, we will.

Thank you,