On Thursday mornings we have separate assemblies for the junior and senior syndicates. Yesterday the theme was principles for happiness at work. There are four of these which have been developed by the School of Philosophy over the years. We spend a large portion of our waking hours engaging some form of work, so finding happiness in this arena is important.
The first principle presented to the children was ‘Attend to the working surface’. We had a discussion about what the working surface is and a demonstration with a broom. The children were able to realise how practical this is in all their activities. When writing, the point where the pencil meets the paper is the working surface. In striking a ball in PE the working surface is the point where the ball meets the racquet, stick or bat. When we give our attention to this precise point, it is full of potential and we are totally present. Our school motto is Rejoice in the Present, and giving our attention to the working surface in any activity leads to joy rather than drudgery.
The second principle of work is ‘Trust the instrument to do the job’. Tools for work obviously vary from task to task; it could be a knife when cutting fruit, or a car when driving. This principle was again demonstrated to the children with a broom. When we trust the instrument, we put in just the right amount of energy, and the work becomes efficient and easy. We all know what happens when apply too much force – things get damaged and we get tired; efficiency is lost. A beautiful description by high-rope walker Phillippe Petit, who famously walked between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, was read to the children:
The gods in my feet.
They are so knowledgeable, so talented.
If they allowed the soles of the feet to land flat on the cable, they would colour the walk with inelegance and danger. Instead, they ask the sole – and the sole complies – to land delicately on the steel, toes first. And to slide down an alert sole, not a dormant one, so that the sole feels the cable is not a flat surface but a curve. And the sole asks its flesh to find as much of the cylindrical cable as possible, to embrace it, to hang on to it. It is a safe embrace. The gods in my feet know how not to hit the cable, how not to make it move when each foot lands. How do they know? They worked that out during their endless days of rehearsals. They know the slightest addition to the vivacious dance of the catenary curve would mean peril for the wire-walker. They ask the feet to land on the steel rope in such a way that the impact of each step absorbs the swaying of the cable, its vertical oscillations, and its twisting along the axis of the walk; the feet answer by being gentle and understanding, by conversing with the wire-rope, by enticing the huffing and puffing living entity above them to let go of his rage to control. Wire-walker, trust your feet! Let them lead you; they know the way.
‘To Reach the Clouds’ by Philippe Petit
We will address the last two principles in our next assembly. For your reference, they are: – ‘The work is more important than any ideas we have about it’ and ‘Work until it’s time to stop’.
Feel free to invite your children to sweep the kitchen floor, the yard or the garage so that they can practise attending to the working surface.
As we come to the end of this week, I would like to wish our Muslim families Eid Mubarak. May this special time bring peace, joy and renewed gratitude, and may the spirit of generosity and fellowship be shared warmly among family and friends.
Peter Crompton, Principal
