A few years ago I took a few courses at UVIC with the famous Antoinette Oberg. She enticed us to learn about research through writing, reflection, reading, writing some more… While there, I wrote a poem that I still cherish,
Welcome to the playground…
A warm welcome to the UVIC playground
where we are free
to explore:
concepts,
play on jungle gyms of theory,
wade in warm words
sinking up to our chests in discourse
both convergent and divergent…
Bask in the light of camaraderie and
nonjudgmental acceptance
while
feasting on crackers and cheese.
Simultaneously I was exploring the possibility of starting a PhD program. In my discussions with Gwennyth Hartrick Doane I mentioned that I did not seem to be able to make the jump across the deep divide between myself and academia. I told her that I am pragmatic and I like practical. She wrote a most amazing letter back and suggested that perhaps I should look at education, not as a great gulf that I have to try and get across, but more as a warm swimming hole that I can swim in, and now and then get up on a rock and look around, and eventually find my way of swimming in academia.
Wow. I thought, “That woman has GOT to be the marketing leader for higher education!”
As September approaches, remember the FUN of learning, and enjoy swimming in the water, basking in crackers and cheese and enjoy the process.
Have a great day!
Kath
