School holidays are always a time for relaxation and a chance to recharge our batteries. Two significant calendar events have occurred over the break. First Easter and then ANZAC Day. Both of these special times serve to have us all reflect on our lives and the impact others have had on us as a community and also at an individual level.

Vale Mrs Sofya Vainer

It was with extreme sadness that after I attended an ANZAC Dawn Service in the small country township of Clunes in Central Victoria, I learned late on Monday morning about the passing of an esteemed staff member, Mrs Sofya Vainer who died suddenly over the weekend. Sofya was a beautiful person who brought delight to the whole School community with her musical prowess. To say she was a beloved figure in the School would be somewhat of an understatement.

Sofya has been a stalwart of the St Catherine’s Music Department for over 40 years, sharing with students and families her love of music and more specifically, the piano.

Sofya was a shining light at St Catherine’s. She constantly encouraged her students and those around her to strive for their best. Most importantly, Sofya expected the same exacting standards from herself over a lifetime of amazing music-making and teaching. She was a vibrant and energetic personality who was absolutely committed to excellence through music. Her passing will be mourned by the whole School community who held her in high regard.

Over the last twenty-four hours not only have I been thinking about Sofya and her life of service to our School, but also about the way I live my life. None of us know what will happen tomorrow and our lives can change very quickly. Such is the transitory nature of life and its brevity. Relatively, we are all here for such a short time on this earth. I am reminded of the famous quote of ‘carpe diem’ or seize the day. In other words, we need to make the most of our lives and squeeze every minute out of every day to make our lives truly worthwhile and meaningful.

Mary Oliver was a much-lauded American poet who won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. One of her most famous poems The Summer Day emphasises how precious our lives are.

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

Sofya Vainer led a life rich in contribution to our community. Sofya was an exquisite pianist and not only gave joy to others in her performances, but she passed on her talent and passion for music to generations of students over nearly 40 years. Clearly, she had a life well-lived. So, I ask this question of you, what are you doing with your one wild and precious life?

I leave you with a short tribute to the magnificence of not only Sofya’s piano talents but her generosity of spirit, sharing her passion for music with students in our Boarding House in 2019.