Dr. Tom Osborn did the impossible..he sparked conversation and an awful lot of creative thought. He began Monday night's forum with a little confession that he didn't believe he was a "model of anything," but rather "pushed" and "pulled by inner pressures," ultimately being "forced" to commit acts outside his own needs. Without sugarcoating any of our obligations in the Honors Program, that ultimately puts all of us on the same level. Dr. Osborn admitted next that he sometimes had to "talk [himself] doing what he has to do."
If I'm being honest, I didn't understand what that statement meant until later this week. Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Michael DeOrio performed a foot and ankle reconstruction on my left leg, and since then, I've begun to realize all the little motions I make each day and how every movement is at least a little voluntary. Going out of my way for others is even more difficult, and I think this is the analogy that Dr. Osborn wanted to share with us- one of reaching BEYOND our comforts to please another person without expecting any reward. He even made us understand this natural resistance to helping others, sharing that it was human reluctance to extend beyond our comfort zone.
Even if Dr. Osborn was a Professor Emeritus of History, that really wasn't important in sharing what he WANTED to share with us. More than anything, Dr. Osborn shared the ministry of Kairos to us, a program he had been active in for over 16 years. In Greek, kairos means, "special time," and in many ways I think that I can relate "kairos" back to this week of restoration and healing that I have experienced. In each session of Kairos, Dr. Osborn spends a period of Thursday-Sunday in a local prison "pouring love" on the prisoners (to the best of my knowledge, in the form of Jesus and cookies..) Through this process, the inmates transition from the "worst" the prison has to offer into "praying for themselves, their families, and each other in a circle holding hands."
One of the most powerful things Dr. Osborn shared was that the most effective Kairos counselors had been prisoners, the best counselors had been victims, and the best healers had been wounded. Having gone through a similar experience, the mentor is now relatable and better-fit to serve a wider range of clients. Often, I feel like that's the best way (or easiest way) to choose a job. Pick something that has greatly impacted your life. It's incredibly likely you know a great deal about it, and if you've taken the time to learn about it, you may have developed a passion. Passion is definitely what transforms a 9-5 work day into something tolerable, and what will turn my mystery of an occupation into a plan of clarity. B a b y s t e p s. . . . .
So, if you catch me on campus, I'm the one wrapped in a cast (probably riding a makeshift scooter!) Here's to adapting to change and proudly counting the days until Christmas Break. This semester's been one for the books, and I'm pretty sure I've learned more about myself in these few months than I have the past nineteen years.
Psalms 18:1-3
No comments:
Post a Comment