If All of College Came Down to This

1. The first live book reading I ever attended was during my junior year at U of O.  It was held in a conference room in some admin building and I went alone, on the recommendation of a professor, never having heard of the author.  His name was Al Young and the book he was reading from was Bodies and Soul, a collection of musical memoirs.  He connected music to literature in a way I understood so thoroughly.  I thought he was brilliant. The experience hooked me forever on reading, writing, and being in  the company of readers and writers whenever possible.

2. The most powerful and beautiful novel I have ever read was The Hotel New Hampshire. I read it at a time when my direction in life/college was unclear and my relationships were uncertain. It changed the way I thought about family, death, diversity and courage.  I think it was the moment I knew I was a true reader of literature, that I get it, that I can read into writers' hearts.  It is one of the gifts for which I am most grateful in my life.

3.  In my senior year, I was short a few 400 level history credits.  My choices were limited by time and my own self-confidence, believing that I couldn't possibly pass an upper lever history course.  I signed up for something like 15th Century Western European Feudalism: Leadership in the Middle Ages.  Who knows what it was really called, but I swear it was that specifically complicated and dry sounding. There were only twelve people in the class and we met like a small book club.  There was a crap load of reading.  It ended up being the most fascinating - and the most challenging - class I ever took.  I learned about things no one will ever care that I know today, but I care.  It is one of the life experiences upon which I draw for battle when that awful voice in the back of my head says, I'm not smart enough.  I got an A, and it made me believe anything was possible.

xo,
A