Opening Chapel Remarks - Lead with Love (SPEECH)

 

New Opportunities...New Horizons...New Challenges are yours for the taking!

I hope you were able to fully enjoy the Winter Holiday, and rest, relax, and prepare for what promises to be a fantastic Second Semester!

I am very glad to see you, and to be gathered here, together, on this beautiful, chilly day; especially as we begin “fresh”, and kick off this New Year. 

As we turn our focus to 2025, I’d like to share a few brief thoughts with you this morning, especially pertaining to an important concept—a mantra–if you will, that has become a central “force” in the life of our School, introduced nearly 5 years ago.

Recently, I ventured out to Target, one of my favorite places to “roam”, and much to my dismay—but not to my surprise—the Valentine’s Day displays were already up, in full force...The varied December celebrations had already been forgotten and were long gone....And while I was a little saddened by this,  I gathered myself, pressed on, and actually, began ruminating a bit about my message to you today.

As we all already know, on February 14, across both the U.S. and the globe, candy, flowers and gifts will be exchanged between loved ones.  Many of you will be spending extra time, and possibly extra money, this Valentine’s Day, to present your special someone with a gift, or a thoughtful note.

In its history, the legend of St. Valentine actually traces its roots in the Catholic Church to three different saints, all of whom were martyred. The stories vary, but one notes that St. Valentine was a priest during the 3rd century in Rome who protested Emperor Claudius’ outlaw of marriage. Another legend claims that he was actually known for helping Christians escape Roman prisons. In this story, Valentine is said to have fallen in love with his jailer’s daughter, presenting her the “first” Valentine--a letter signed, appropriately, “From your Valentine”; hence, a tradition was born.

Whatever legend you choose to believe, we do know that by the Middle Ages, Valentine had become one of the most popular saints in England and France. In the Middle Ages, the February time period also marked the beginning of the mating season for birds, furthering the notion of romance being central to the celebration.

Traditional Valentine’s greetings didn’t begin to appear until the Middle Ages, roughly around 1400 A.D., and the oldest known Valentine in existence is actually a poem composed by Charles, the Duke of Orleans, written to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London, following his capture at the famous Battle of Agincourt.

Here in the United States, Americans began exchanging handmade cards in the early 1700’s, and the first mass produced cards became popular in the 1840’s. As we know, Valentine’s Day is “big business”. In fact, roughly over 1 billion Valentine’s cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card sending holiday after Christmas. If you haven’t gotten your card yet for Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa or that Special Friend, well, you’ve got roughly plenty of time left, so no worries.

While I hope you have enjoyed this brief “history lesson”, my message to you today is actually NOT a dissertation on romantic love, or the images oftentimes associated with Valentine’s Day.

Try Googling “Love”, and you’ll receive a plethora of images, song lyrics and quotations, mostly associated with happy couples, kissing by the moonlight, or sharing a sweet moment together.

And while there is certainly nothing “wrong” with romantic love, today I’d like to ask you to transport yourself back to August, and to our first Chapel together---and recall the request I made of each of you. It’s one I have asked each time we have gathered, actually, over the last four and a half years. 

Yes, as you’ve heard me say on numerous occasions, I continue to ask each of you to, 

 

Lead with Love. 

What does this mean, to Lead with Love?

First and foremost, I believe it means that we all must pause for a moment, and remember to be thankful for the many blessings in our lives. 

Regardless of what we may encounter or situation we may find ourselves in, I firmly believe that there is goodness all around us. 

Here, on this small gem in South Florida alone, we see natural beauty and wonders every day...60 acres of lush, green spaces to roam, relax and recharge...77 different species of trees, and  countless peacocks, foxes, snakes, and other “tropical” creatures, including “falling Iguanas”, welcoming us each day...Moreover, there are nearly 1,000 of us---Faculty/Staff/and Students--- all working together, driven by a unifying Mission, all the while setting a positive tone, and hoping to make a difference in the world…Yes, the list is endless, but we ALL have much to celebrate, and be grateful for as we kick off this New Year.

In order to Lead with Love, we need to recognize just how much we have been given, how precious the gift of Life is, and understand that each of us truly has the power and the potential to do GOOD. Each of us is an Agent for Positive Change.

Secondly, by Leading with Love, I believe we also have to be vulnerable. 

Open. 

Willing to trust others. 

Able to accept our own faults, and misgivings. 

As he shares with us, so profoundly and so clearly, noted philosopher C.S. Lewis writes, 

 

To love all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken…

Lewis adds, too, that,

 

Love and truth must go hand in hand if either is to work its power to transform us. Love without truth is sentimentality; truth without love is cruelty. For it is love that brings wisdom to the cause of truth.

Accordingly, we must all work to gather that wisdom…To be good listeners…To be respectful, willing to hear others, and to accept Love, knowing that our own humility is critical for our own growth and development. 

Perhaps, for me, too, is the simple reminder of both the humble nature of Love, and the all powerful, enduring qualities of Love. 

Love is truly the only thing that can make a difference in the world…

Whether it be a kind word of encouragement, a thoughtful note, or a simple moment in which you lend an ear, or a helping hand, Love is present. From the seemingly smallest of gestures, to acts of grand display, 

Love is an Active Force. 

Love promises something better. 

Love Comforts. 

Love Heals. 

Love is Hope. 

Love Lasts. 

Or, as the great leader and Pacifist, Mahatma Gandhi reminds us,

 

Where there is love, there is life. 

Yes, by Leading with Love, we recognize that Love in itself is an ongoing process, able to change lives, or even alter the course of events, in ways known, and sometimes never to be discovered...And while we may not learn fully of the effect of our actions, it does not keep us from loving. At least, it should not…And that leads me to my final point…

The recognition that Love, in itself, is an act of faith.

Despite all I have shared with you today, I recognize that in today’s world, to Lead with Love may be a “stretch”; that is, too often in our daily lives, choosing NOT to love, or to focus on our most immediate selfish needs, is certainly alluring...To act with others’ interests ahead of our own---is, well, let’s be honest---sometimes difficult to do. 

Think back to a situation in which maybe you were hurt, or someone bullied you. Maybe unkind words were said about you, or posted on social media...Maybe someone lied to you, about you, or made fun of you. Whatever the case may be, I can promise you that everyone in this gathering has been hurt or betrayed before…Each of us has experienced pain, and suffering in some shape or form…

However, I sincerely hope you’ll be courageous---yes, courageous---in choosing to Lead with Love....By “turning the other cheek”, choosing the more difficult path to walk away, or even, to reach out to offer Love, you are demonstrating true character. 

It is not easy, but it is the right thing to do. Do not let others’ actions derail you from Leading with Love…Perhaps the following Irish Prayer may be of help to you as you begin a New Year, and I share it with you now:

 

God,

Keep my anger from becoming meanness.

Keep my sorrow from collapsing into self-pity.

Keep my heart soft enough to keep breaking.

Keep my anger turned towards justice, not cruelty.

Remind me that all of this, every bit of it, is for love.

Keep me fiercely kind.

Amen.

Happy New Year, Palmer Trinity Falcons! 

I am confident it’s going to be a fantastic Year, and I cannot wait to help you in any way I can.

And, know, too, that I love you.

Now, go out and, 

 

Lead with Love.