With the end of April (and exams!) in sight, it’s hard to believe the winter semester is coming to a close. The past month as Interim Dean of Students has certainly been an interesting challenge, and I know this period has been similarly difficult for many of you as we all settle in to a new way of living and learning. Though we may be faced with uncertainty in the days ahead, I want to encourage you to discover the little joys in your daily life, and as we wrap up the year together, I’d like to share some of mine.
I have four cats—Bonnie, Artemis, Isis, and Alexander, whom you saw in the Dean’s Corner photo at the end of March. A favorite ritual is throwing a small spring and watching Isis careen down the stairs, retrieve it, and drop it at my feet for another toss.
My other four-legged companion is about 1,000 pounds heavier—Infinity, my Oldenburg mare. I find just being in her presence joyful, but I also find joy in working around the barn. After a long week of facing all the complexities that come with our new mode of operations, I never would have guessed that shoveling manure, of all things, would be so therapeutic.
As I’m also an instructor in operations management, it’s no surprise that I find happiness in organizing household spaces. The more I’m at home, the more I can be found beaming with pride in front of a newly rearranged fridge, closet or cupboard.
While we may not yet know what the future will hold, what we can do is focus on the small pleasures of today, whatever these may be for you. Write them down or share them with a friend—by bringing our focus to the light, we can always make it a bit brighter.
