He ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother

The words from the 1969 smash hit by The Hollies, provided the basis for our assembly on Monday 18 September. While the song might have been unfamiliar to many of the boys, the message is as relevant today as it was nearly fifty years ago.

The boys were also shown a clip about a bigger brother sometimes teasing his younger brother, light heartedly of course. However, in times of trouble, that big brother will be there for his little brother. He will protect him and stand by him, both in good times and in bad.

Who are our brothers? This question was asked of the boys and aside from the obvious and literal answer, many boys displayed insight into this important question. From the boys in the Junior school to the Senior Prep boys, it was obvious that the idea of being there for your friend and your fellow man was of great importance.

As a community, it is so important to embrace such thinking and to live it each day. Our sons are growing up in world where ‘I’ and ‘me’ come first, and ‘us’ ‘we’ and ‘they’ are placed a distant second….or not at all. Former US President, Barack Obama, speaks of looking out for one’s fellow man, as a value.

In the end, we all inhabit the same planet. We all breathe the same air and we are all connected through our humanity. Let us keep reminding our sons to be good friends, caring neighbours, loving brothers and, one day, gentle husbands and fathers to a future generation of young ladies and gentlemen. If we succeed and our children succeed, then we would have helped in making this world a better place.

Ryan Sweetlove / Deputy Head Pupil Affairs