Look Up, Lift Up

“Cut it mum, cut the string” Joanne cried...

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Joanne…” mum said…

“how can it be?” the little girl protested… “can’t you see, mum, the string is pulling it back… cut the string mum”

“are you sure” asked mum…

“yes!” Joanne exclaimed “the string is preventing it from being able to go higher, mum... I want it to go higher!”

“but Joanne” said the mother “the string is allowing the kite to fly... cutting will cause the kite to drop to the ground”

“how can it be” Joanne said “you’re wrong mum... I want it to go higher.... cut the string, mum”

Despite trying to change little Joanne’s mind, the little girl had her mind set, and so, the mother cut the string

and the kite did fly higher, and a sense of victory filled Joanne and it was written all over her face…

But that was short-lived

For soon enough, the kite rattled in flight, struggled and came tumbling down, succumbing to the forces of gravity...

Mum was right... while the kite appeared to be restrained by the string, it is the very thing that is keeping it in flight…

Joanne was perplexed and mum explained to her that the string that appeared to be detrimental to the kite was actually helping it keep flight by holding it back and holding it at a position that allows it to sustain flight…

Being connected, the kite was actually allowed to continue to soar…

Mrs Ang, Prof Hum and members of the Board of Management, PSSG members, Parents, School Leaders, Teachers, partners, and our VIPs for today, the candidates of the Prefectural Investiture… Good morning…

I’ve entitled today’s sharing “Look Up, Lift Up” and based today’s sharing on , which I’m sure is not unfamiliar to most of you…

And in case you are wondering where you last saw it, you merely need to lift up your eyes to the school crest over here and you can see that it is actually the school motto…

And prefects, it is my intention that whenever you look upon the crest when you are coming to school or when you are putting on your uniform in the morning, you will remember these words I am sharing with you today…

And the words are simply…

Wherever you are, whatever situation you are in, always look up, lift up…

Prefects, congratulations on being selected to take on this very important role in your school,

Being selected to be the leader of your peers and to be leaders among your peers,

It goes without saying that your role is critical for, because of the very fact that you are students yourselves, your interaction and time spent with your classmates will be a lot more than that of your teachers and school leaders,

Your impact on your classmates is crucial in realising the school’s vision to produce women of fine character…

So, do not take your roles lightly because of the importance of the role you play in this school…

Just like you, the Psalmist who wrote was a leader…

In fact, some scholars think that it was King David who wrote this Psalm…

Who as the title of his name suggest, was a King and hence the leader of his people at that point of time…

And as you probably know, kings at great power and authority,

but some of them misused their powers and made life very difficult for their nations,

Making decisions that served themselves, because they were consumed with the thought that being kings they were entitled to do anything they wanted,

They became selfish, conceited and self-serving…

But not King David,

Even though he was king, he recognised that he was not free to do anything he wanted,

In fact, he recognised that the very fact that he was king,

He had to be sure that he continued to be good, and show a good example to others around him…

And he did that by always being connected to something greater than himself,

to which he will always lift up his eyes and look upon for guidance and wisdom…

and he says this by declaring “my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth”

And by doing that, just like the kite we talked about at the beginning,

He is always connected to something that will allow him to soar and always connected to something that will prevent him from doing things that are harmful…

In a similar fashion, as prefects, you will need to be good examples to your schoolmates and you don’t have to do it alone, but you can always look up to your teachers and parents, Mrs Yap and Miss Seet and even your seniors,

who are placed in your lives to provide you with guidance and leadership so that as you lead,

you will be a like plant that as you serve others,

you will continue to be fed by those who had gone ahead of you,

and benefit from their experience and counsel so that

as you lead, you, like the kite will be connected to a life-spring that while sometimes feel like a restrain that is preventing you from having the freedom to do whatever you want,

is actually preventing you from making decisions and doing things that are harmful to yourself or others, allow you to grow into the person of fine character and in turn, when your schoolmates and classmates look up to you, will grow into a person of fine character as well, because of your careful modelling of what’s right

Now that I’ve covered the Look Up portion of the message, I would now cover the Lift up portion, which is actually not too different from what I had shared earlier on, on Looking up…

I know that school is tough…

I have a son and a daughter and they are both in primary school…

And I can empathise with you with the stress that comes from the school work,

The stress that comes from needing to perform well in school especially with the exams,

The anxieties that comes from needing to do well in the CCAs,

Or perhaps some other activities and obligations that you have…

Then for some of us, there’s a need to try to fit in, to have a sense that we are still friends with our friends…

Then, there’s your prefectural duties that may take up your time or you may have some responsibilities within the EXCO…

You may feel overwhelmed…

But listen to this…

You are never alone…

The same group of people I mentioned just now,

your teachers and parents, Mrs Yap and Miss Seet, are there not just to provide you with guidance but are also there to walk with you and provide a listening ear whenever you want to talk to someone, but especially so, when life becomes overwhelming…

This was what King David talked about in looking up to the mountains, and saying “my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth”,

and his use of the imagery of the mountain is because the mountain is something that is large, something that cannot be missed no matter where he was…

Likewise, whenever life gets challenging, you can always approach anyone of the many many resources that are available to listen to you,

And work things out…

And things can always be worked out…

So prefects, you are never alone,

Whenever you are feeling down, you can always come and talk to us and allow us to lift up your countenance and try to turn you frown upside down…

And as you do that, just like the story of the kite I mentioned earlier,

As you are connected to the string, that places you in a perfect position to grow and soar, getting guidance from the various groups around you,

As a kite is up there in the sky, being a picture of beauty up there in the sky,

Bringing cheer to those who look upon the kite,

May you also be used to lift up those around you,

Helping your schoolmates and your classmates who are feeling overwhelmed to overcome the difficulties and the challenges in their lives…

And this is important and critical aspect of your empowerment because like I mentioned at the beginning of this sharing,

You have a much closer and frequent contact to your classmates than your teachers, which puts you in a perfect position to help…

And even if you’re not able to help,

Don’t forget that you are connected to this great network that are able to and you can always sound out those who are in need to your teachers, school leaders and the ministry staff in school…

So friends, let me close by once again congratulating you on being appointed as prefects of the school, and remind you that whenever you look upon the words “Look Up, Lift Up”, may you always remember that you should look up to those in authority, and be a great example to those who look up to you as leaders in the school, and remember that you can always come to the support network who can lift you up, whenever life gets difficult and be used to lift up those around you who are feeling down.

Thank you.