Dear St. Serra Catholic Parents,
St. Serra School would like to wish all of its families a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving should remind all of us that we have many, many things to be thankful for--including numerous blessings we may not even be cognizant of. Some of these are “routine things” like having health benefits so that when we are ill we can see a doctor, having a beautiful and convenient place to worship, having enough food to feed our families, having enough gas to get to work, or having the extra money to treat our children to an In-N-Out hamburger after school. The list could go on and on.
It is very easy to get caught up in our day-to-day routine and somehow forget to be thankful. Parents often tell me they are frustrated that their children “don’t appreciate what they have.” I tell them that I believe the children simply don’t realize what they have because they have never been without. Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to appreciate the “routine things'' that we take for granted. It is true that hard work has also played a role in our lives and should not be undervalued, but if it wasn’t for God, all that we have could all be taken away in an instant.
During a recent Mass, one of our pastors explained that “everything that we have is on loan to us from God.” Frequently, we measure success by how much money we make, how big our houses are, what zip code we live in or what kind of car we drive. As we get older we start to realize that life isn’t about things. It’s about service and doing for others. This is where true enjoyment occurs. It’s more about giving back and trying to make somebody else's life or situation better, and we can accomplish this in many different ways.
As we enter the holiday season, our school will provide outreach opportunities for our families to participate in. I know that you will step up and provide for those less fortunate as you always do. The generosity of St. Serra families is second to none. I know it comes from the heart, and because of this, our school benefits as much as the people we serve. As we take a moment to pause and reflect on what we are thankful for, remember, sometimes it's the “small stuff” that has the greatest impact! Happy Thanksgiving!
Always Striving,
Tim Tolzda
Sr. Principal
