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Good Morning. This week, our schools were described as ‘Covid chaos’ as pupil absences hit a record high since the pandemic began. From primary school to university-age, young people are subject to a chronic case of what could be coined adolescence interruptus, delayed transition into adulthood. When, from one moment to the next, you can be sent home from school for ten days, when your summer activities and holidays are being cancelled, and when your physical and mental health seems to be deprioritised relative to other age groups, it’s not surprising if you feel profoundly distressed. A multitude of studies confirm devastating figures of young peoples’ mental illness, revealing a pandemic within a pandemic. In one study, 84% of 18-24 year olds reported symptoms of depression and 72% of anxiety, figures significantly worse than those of older people. This year, I’m training as a coach for young people and I’m worried. The people I’m working with tell me they feel overwhelmed, unsettled and frightened about their personal health and financial futures, compounded by climate anxiety. But worse. Many say they feel dismissed or even derided for finding life hard. But, there are ways we can all boost young peoples’ resilience, even during times that they feel an inner Covid chaos. In the Torah account of the Creation, chaos engulfed the whole universe. The earth was void and darkness. But it wasn’t abandoned - the ruach, the gentle and strong spirit of a creative, divine, benign force, hovered over the surface of the waters. This spirit brought light to the deep, unfathomable darkness. It’s now a key moment that can make a difference, whether we’re young people listening, or their parents, friends, teachers, or policy-makers, to be like that force - that warm, constant, life-affirming spirit. We can be, for ourselves and for others, the hand-hold, the listening-heart, the affirming-nod. And when we don’t know what to do, when we’re scared for ourselves, our friends, our children, or grandchildren, sometimes it may simply be best to remember to listen. We could ask tender questions such as ‘I can’t imagine what this is like for you, please can you tell me.’ ‘What might make it easier?’ Listening doesn’t have to mean total agreement and my experience of young people is that they love a really good, unpatronising challenge to their assumptions. We’ll get it wrong. We’ll make mistakes. We’ll apologise and try again. We can be that ruach, that spirit, of the Creation story. We can be the ally that rescinds the chaos and renews trust in the world, in others and in ourselves.