The Woods Academy’s mission is to be an inclusive Catholic community preparing boys and girls to lead lives of significance. In an ever changing world, what would we consider a significant life?
I recently stumbled upon a beautiful reflection on LinkedIn where a daughter wrote about her late father and how he lived a significant life. She describes a “life of significance” perfectly:
It is that hug just at the right moment of a really bad day. It is the joke at just the right moment that relieves the stress of a job. A significant moment is taking responsibility for an unpleasant task, especially when it is not your responsibility. A significant moment is making sure someone takes a break for a few minutes so that they can just catch their breath, or get off their feet for a moment before returning to work. A significant moment is making sure to smile or making someone else smile even when you don't feel like smiling. It is taking the time to be a teacher, to be a mentor, and to be a friend. It is looking out for someone to make sure they make it to their vehicle at night, to make sure that they have what they need to do their job, to go just a little extra to make their job a little easier.
Living a life of significance isn't having just one, two, or three of these moments but rather a way of being. It is when your life is filled with a collection of small moments, that when strung and added together, you touch more than just the lives of those around you. It is when your life inspires others to do the same, to share your kindness, and make it a part of their way of being as well.
A life of significance is when your moments impact the lives of dozens, and you inspire them to create moments of meaning in the lives of others. It may seem difficult to track the impact of such a life as it ripples out into the world and inspires moments for hundreds and thousands of other people.
At The Woods, we are committed to developing the minds, spirits, and bodies of our students from Montessori to 8th grade in a safe, caring community that honors each student as a child of God. Students learn habits of character including faith, morality, independence, responsibility, loyalty, self-confidence, leadership, compassion, personal integrity, and, importantly, respect for others.
Respect for others and serving the community around them is an important trait for children to learn especially as we prepare them to lead lives of significance. This helps them to learn gratitude and understanding while helping others.
Service and respect to others can be seen in a variety of ways at The Woods Academy, including:
- Learning how to be a good friend and care for others through our guidance lessons in the Lower School
- Montessori students sorting and donating Halloween candy for our troops or gathering items to send to Ukrainian refugees, and learning about those individuals in the process
- 3rd grade students donating shoes to The National Center for Children and Families in honor of Founders Day
- 8th grade girls’ advisory leaving notes of kindness around the school
- Prayer partner activities where our Middle School students share their knowledge and joy with our youngest students
- Students witnessing teachers caring for each other and vice versa
- Parents and students participating in Wreaths Across America giving thanks to those that have served our great nation
- And don’t forget the simple thank yous, good mornings, and how are you interactions - small, but mighty
Merriam Webster describes significance as implying a quality or character that should mark a thing as important, but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized. One could say these are little acts of kindness that go unnoticed - much like what the LinkedIn author wrote in her reflection.
I encourage you to show your children day in and day out what a life of significance looks like at home and on the weekends. I know we’re trying to at The Woods Academy in more ways than one.
Below is a graphic to save and remind you that you can be the reason someone smiles from your significant and beautiful life. Feel free to share on social media and with friends.
Sources: Living A Life of Significance Reflection
