Accepted Student Day, Great Books Honors

On Friday, February 15th, Faulkner University hosted “Accepted Student Day.” Prospective Faulkner students and their families were able to tour campus, attend Friday Chapel, and meet with faculty from their respective fields of study. For those students interested in the Great Books Honors program, breakout sessions were held in which prospective students could ask current students questions about the program. They even experienced a mini Great Books discussion, led by Dr. Jacobs and then Dr. Fullman, reading and discussing a quote by writer and theologian Blaise Pascal. I was privileged to attend all of the sessions, and had a lot of fun getting to meet new potential students. Some were very enthusiastic about the program, and I really hope to see them come to Faulkner and be part of the Great Books family next fall!

Honor Your Father and Mother—It’s All-Natural!

On Tuesday, February 12, I attended a lecture given by Dr. Samuel Gregg, titled “Natural Law and the Free Society.” In my favorite part of the lecture, Dr. Gregg spoke about how natural law is something that is inherent in human beings. He made the point that because natural law is ingrained within all of us, the phrase “Honor your father and mother” easily resonates with most people as something that is good, even though these people might come from all sorts of different backgrounds and cultures. Dr. Gregg said that in the same way that “Honor your father and mother” can be agreed on as a good thing, “Dis-honor your father and mother” would immediately resonate with people as a bad thing, as something perverse and irrational.
After the lecture, I related what Dr. Gregg had spoken about to my own life. Every grocery store I have been to has labels on packages of food that say “all-natural,” because we want to think our food is as close to its natural state as possible. Nowhere, in any store, will you find a package of food that has the label “un-natural,” since this would constitute an immediate turn-off to customers. This is because companies utilize natural law in order to entice us to buy their products, by appealing to this ingrained natural law with which all human beings are endowed.

Thanks for reading!

Nikki

The Consolation of Adulthood

I used to be a child, with lighter weights to carry.

Now many burdens have been laid on my shoulders, and I tremble, for,

I am no Atlas.

It was twilight when my three young companions and I arrived in the town. We were all exhausted,

hungry, cold, and dirty. I could hardly feel my arms or legs because I had been carrying the little girl,

Added, in my arms for the greater part of the journey.  Small-Creature-That-Must-Be-Fed, the children’s

beloved fox cub, was nestled inside the pack I carried on my back, while Added’s older brother,

Responsibility, walked beside me and held on to my jerkin in order to keep from slipping in the mud.

After the greasy, long-haired watchman let us through the gate, I immediately found an inn under the

sign of “The Pot-bellied Pig.” I could see the warm promise of hot steam and light coming from its

windows, and my stomach began to ache even more than my arms.

“Let’s stop here.” I pushed open the creaky door and led the children and their cub into the inn.

Once inside, we were greeted cheerfully by a loud, smiling, red-cheeked woman. She had an ample

bosom and curly silver hair that showed evidence of having once been a lustrous raven black. “Welcome,

guests, and sit down! There’s meat, bread, and butter besides!”

I hesitated a moment, unsure whether the few coins I had were sufficient to pay for a meal as well as a

room.

“Good lady, I am not sure if I have enough money to pay for a room, let alone a meal–– we will make do

with the rations in our pack.”

“Nonsense!” The woman interrupted me and gestured toward the children. “I insist on feeding and

boarding you all for nothing! Goodness knows, I used to have quite a few little ones of my own at one

time in my life!” She smiled and seated Added and Responsibility at one of the many long tables in the

main room, and the fox cub lay down under Added’s side of the bench.

“Now, I’ll see to the children’s supper, and I’ll feed their little dog too.” She picked up Small-Creature-

That-Must-Be-Fed. “Why don’t you go and refresh yourself in your room?”

I heard Added and Responsibility giggle, whispering, “She thinks he’s a dog!”

“Y-yes,” I stammered.

The woman pointed.“Just go down that hall––the door is on the right.”I nodded dumbly and started down

the hall. I found the room, turned the knob, and went inside to see an extremely clean little bedroom,

with two beds and a washstand between them. I went to the washstand, and as I dipped my hands into the

warm water, I felt an odd rush of feelings. I was grateful for the woman’s generosity, but could not

reconcile myself to accepting charity even if it was for the children’s sake. I felt helpless and out of

control, and I called aloud in my anguish.

“Adulthood, where are you? I thought you’d help me deal with all these new burdens I am carrying, but

I am failing and am at the point of having to accept charity! How is this any part of being a mature adult?
I can’t go on like this anymore!”

The water I had splashed onto my face mixed with my tears, and I sat on the edge of the nearest bed and

put my head in my hands.

Torrents of hardship, unleashed on a burdened soul,

Can flood and drown even the most steadfast will.

Fear of failure, that onrushing River,

Easily breaches the levee of the quaking heart.

Suddenly, from between my fingers, I saw a bright flash of light. Startled, I uncovered my eyes and saw

that a woman had appeared before me. I recognized her weathered face seconds before it changed and
became as beautiful as I remembered. She wore a stained traveling cloak and carried a worn wooden staff,
but her face was bright and her eyes reflected a spirit of adventure and knowledge.

“Adulthood!” I spoke with astonishment and surprise.

“Yes, Nikki, it is I. You called me; why are you surprised that I responded?”

I paused before I answered. “I guess I’m not surprised, but it’s been such a long time since we spoke! I

thought maybe you had forgotten about me, or that maybe I wasn’t meant to receive any help from

anyone! I’ve felt so alone recently!”

Adulthood looked at me pointedly. “But you did receive help, just now, when you most needed it. The

owner of this inn has offered to feed and board you out of the generosity of her heart!”

“I know that,” I said. “But I didn’t feel right accepting her offer. I’m ashamed that I’m not more

self-sufficient! Isn’t that what being an adult is? I’m failing at my task! I don’t see how I am going to

care for Added and Responsibility and defeat the minions of the Lord of Bad Grades as well! The

children and I are becoming beggars because I am not strong enough to provide for them! I’m failing!”

Adulthood listened patiently then spoke again. “It seems that there are a few facts about Adulthood that

you are confused about.

“Firstly, just because you are struggling, it doesn’t mean that you are failing. You’ve brought Added,

Responsibility, and their fox cub alive out of a hard battle with the Interpretive Essay Spiders and

brought them safely to this town. They may be hungry, but they are alive, and that certainly counts for

something! Besides, at this moment, they are being fed and warmed by a kind woman in an inn to which

you led them. You need to understand that there is no shame in receiving help graciously offered by a

generous heart.

“Secondly, becoming an adult isn’t merely about becoming more self-sufficient. It is learning how to

accept help because you have come to understand that you cannot do everything yourself. Adulthood is

knowing and accepting the fact that you are not always going to be perfect.”

I considered this, then burst out again. “But I feel that in order to accomplish what I need to, I have to be

perfect! I don’t see how else I can do this! I want my journey to be successful, and I hate feeling afraid

all the time. I wanted to be courageous and brave, but I guess I’m not.” I squeezed my fingers into fists

and pushed them into my eyes as a few more tears dripped down my cheeks.

Adulthood put her hand on my shoulder. “Life doesn’t ask perfection of us; only our best. And when you

feel afraid, I want you to remember that true courage is not in having no fear, it’s in doing the right thing

even when you’re afraid. You’ve done that multiple times, Nikki, and that is what being an adult is.”

“I think I understand––sort of.” I sniffed and looked up from where I was sitting.

“‘I shall try to clear some of the fog for you’ (Boethius 25), so that you may more easily see what I am

trying to explain.

“It’s like this. When you were small, an infant even, did you feed and clothe yourself?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Who fed and clothed you, then?”

“Adults,” I answered.

“Correct. Do you see where I am trying to lead you?”

“No, I must confess, ‘I am still confused’” (Boethius 151).

“You said ‘adults,’ plural. Is that right?”

“Yes.”

“And when you mention more than one person, that means at least two.”

“‘Yes, what you say is true enough’” (Boethius 37).

“No one person took care of you on their own. The adults around you, your mother and father no doubt,

and perhaps aunts and uncles, relied on each other and accepted help from one another in the care of a

dependent child––you.

“We are not meant to bear these burdens on our own. Sometimes we need to have a little humility and

gratitude and accept the generosity of others. And right now, the owner of “The Pot-bellied Pig” is

providing for you from what she has been blessed with. In the same way, you will have the chance to

help someone else in need, many times throughout your life.”

“Yes, you’re right. I see that now.” I took a deep breath, and stood up. “Well, I suppose I’d better go out

there and thank our host––right?” I smiled nervously, and Adulthood nodded encouragingly at me.

“I’ll still be with you.”

I nodded back and left the room.

The flames around me were crackling viciously,

But now the largest tongues have dissipated--

“Aeolus’ northern breath” (Boethius 7) cools my burning face.

The main room of the inn was still bright in the light of the crackling fireplace.  I looked for Added and

Responsibility by the long dining tables, but could not find them. I searched  deeper into the back of the

inn and heard the sounds of laughter and splashing coming from behind a tall wooden door. I saw a worn

sign just above the doorway of the room that said, “Ye Olde Kitchen.” I crept over quietly, pushed the

door open a crack and looked inside. I saw the red-cheeked woman standing at a large wooden washtub;

steam from hot water was in the air and suds from the tub spilled over its side. I heard Added and

Responsibilities’ voices saying,

“Thank you for the lovely bath!” and “I feel much better!”

I saw that Added and Responsibility were clean and happy, and they were wearing new clothes and new

shoes.

I finally gathered up the courage to walk into the room, just as the woman set Small-Creature-That-Must-

Be-Fed down on the floor. She bent down to dry him with a clean cloth and he pushed his wet snout into

her cheek. She pulled her head back abruptly and shouted,

“Aah! He nosed me!”

Added and Responsibility laughed, and Small-Creature-That-Must-Be-Fed shook himself violently from

head to tail.

I smiled, despite my nervousness, and went up to the woman.“Dear lady, how can I thank you?” I

indicated the children and their fox cub. “I am in your debt.”

She smiled and pulled me into a warm, motherly embrace. “Nonsense! We all help each other along,

don’t we?”

“Yes!” I said. “Yes, we do!”

I heard Adulthood’s voice in my head, even though I knew she was not present in the room.

“See, Nikki? This kind woman knows that adulthood means giving and also accepting help from others,

and doing the right thing. Your time will come to help someone the way this woman has helped you.”

“Yes,” I thought.

Adulthood spoke again. “I will still be with you as you journey, helping you to make the best choices and

to press forward.

“Here are a few things for you to remember as your journey continues: ‘you should not doubt that

everything happens as it should’ (Boethius 129), and remember that it is during your times of trouble

that you will gain ‘knowledge of your true friends’ (Boethius 57). ‘Lift up your mind in virtue and hope’

(Boethius 175) and ‘never falter in laziness or fear, but overcome the earth’s trials and ascend to the stars

’ heights’ (Boethius 145).”

“Thank you, Adulthood,” I thought as I lay down to sleep that night, in a comfortable bed at the

“Pot-bellied Pig” with the children and fox cub snuggled on either side of me.

“I will remember your advice. Thank you for coming to console me in my time of need.”

At the end of Herculean labors,

Rest awaits the faithful,

Stretching out her arms to those wearied by Life’s trials.

Blessed are they who can nestle deep in her bosom,

Secure in the knowledge that they have given their heart’s utmost,

In the doing of deeds both good and honorable.