Fr Vincent Sherlock
“It clears your mind and eases stress”, she told me. She wasn’t alone!
Nearly every child in the class had some variant of the stress reliever and mind-clearer in hand as well. They were in a variety of colours and one even glowed in the dark.
Thankfully I was in touch enough to know what they were holding and I was able to identify this wonder tool by its correct name ‘fidget spinner’. One child had her doubts – “some say”, she told me “that they are a distraction”. The split has begun…
Anyway, I wonder does it do what it says on the tin? Does this fidget spinner clear the mind and ease stress? Are children that much in need of having stress eased and minds cleared?
Caring
If the need is that real and present, it’s likely we need more than a fidget spinner. Time comes to mind! So too does reassurance, sharing, caring and togetherness. “They’re for children with autism”, another child told me as she spun away to her heart’s delight.
“Like me”, said another as he placed the gadget on his finger and smiled at me. I smiled back and thought maybe the smile has a part to play in helping him along the road too.
I took a pair of rosary beads from my pocket and said “How many of you have one of these in your pockets? They help to clear the mind too and maybe even ease stress.” I told them that you can even get some that glow in the dark!
One girl, with fidget spinner in full and frantic motion, produced her beads. She was alone.
Words of freedom at a funeral…
There’s a lovely story told of a priest of our diocese. There was a funeral in his parish and a number of priests came to concelebrate the requiem Mass. An altar-server, knowing there was more happening here than usual, moved through the packed sacristy, tugged at the priest’s arm and asked: “Father, when do I ring the bell?”
The priest bent low and gave the clearest and most stress-free of liturgical direction (not found in red print in any Missal in the world): “Anytime you feel like it!”
If you can
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when through no fault of yours something goes wrong,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no prejudice;
Then, my friend you are most likely the family dog!