As an educator, my measures of time tend to be semesters, annual review periods, the typical weeks to receive feedback on manuscripts or grant proposals, and cycles towards the next promotion, etc. Of course, these indices are juxtaposed against daily responsibilities at home and work, seasonal changes, and life transitions. Keeping perspective on it all is sometimes…challenging! Where to focus? What are my priorities? What are the priorities of someone else that become pressures to navigate? How can I handle all the noise around me? As a person who sometimes journals, I can see the repetition of these thoughts coming through each November as the end of term comes into view. And yet, the urge to just cross things off my to-do list and keep focused on the end goals often leaves little energy to pause, to reflect, to consider what has been meaningful throughout the last months since the summer when everything seemed possible. It’s hard to even realize what all has been achieved and to just be present in today.
So many who were on the MSU Bus Tour in October have reflected on what they learned about the university’s impact on so many aspects around the state. For those new(er) to MSU and even those who have been here for years, these revelations were eye-opening, points of pride, and evidence of both accomplishments and opportunities that remain. They came from taking time to be in connection with others on the bus and with members of communities along the way. They also came from taking time to reflect on the work of so many who came before and who are here with us now. Most of those on the tour did not come from a single college or unit or walk of institutional life, which was another great aspect of time spent together – finding commonalities, understanding how each contributes to the missions of the university and its commitments to the state, and getting a chance to share their own contributions to those less familiar. Although this opportunity might have checked a box on the fall to-do list, participants say it was so much more. It was time away from the normal routine that gave the opportunity to think, share, and be energized for what comes next.
As each of us looks to the end of the term, maybe we can follow suit even without being on a bus and afford ourselves time to do more than cross things off the list. Especially at this point in what has, once again, been a challenging term, we can pace ourselves a bit differently, approach our lives with mindfulness rather than only focusing on results and outputs, remember those who inspire and mentor us, and really see those who walk on this journey with us. Those much wiser than me say that doing this is necessary to lead a fulfilled life and to face the challenges and opportunities ahead of us. My hope is that we take the time to pause and reflect on what truly matters to each of us. Let those reflections help us focus and find some peace, and walk together to the end of the term – and beyond. See you in January!