November 10, 2006

This has been a good November to date. Students are coming to my office pretty regularly to ask reference questions. Some of the topics covered: death penalty cases, same-sex marriage legislation by states, mental health/competence to proceed with trial, statues and U.S. Code research using Westlaw and Lexis. In addition, I have four more assignments to complete for Christopher. I have been pretty regular about arriving at work between 8:00am-8:15am and still leaving around 6:00-7:40pm most evenings.

I attended the reception honoring one of the graduating Law Students and to give students an opportunity to meet me. The Law School Student Affairs department did a tremendous job in setting everything up. I did engage about three students who are new to Notre Dame as well as new to the United States. I happen to look up at the ceiling and notice my alma mater flags pinned to the wall amongst a slew of flags representing other universities. I have very fond memories of the University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State University. It put a smile on my face and confirmed for me that I am beginning my Librarian career in an awesome place.

I did get my items into Laura for my upcoming review. When I was finalizing my report, I was amazed at all of the things that I have been doing here at Notre Dame as well in my committee work via ALA & ACRL. My colleagues outside of ND have been enormously gracious and kind with their words of encoragement and pride they have for me. I just count it all as a blessing and a confirmation that if you do what you really love, the rewards are infinite!

On a personal note: I celebrated 15 years of marriage! WOW! Times really moves fast..... Our children are the most awesome testament of our love and promise we made to each other. My husband is truly my number one fan, which is why I love him very much! We celebrated by joining one of our favorite couples who are new friends of ours here in South Bend. Its so nice to be around other couples who are energizing and engaging towards one another. They treated us to a lovely dinner and dessert. We left the evening with an edible gift: a white chocolate image of a capital building. I am going to bring this large piece of "guilty pleasure" to work to share with the students and staff at the Law School.

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I am so Blessed to be able to read and get fortified by words of wisdom.............
I was in the midst of organizing some of my writing papers, and I came across a copy of a conversation with Maya Angelou and Cornel West they did in February of 1996. Fr. Jenkins (The President of the University of Notre Dame) sent out an email last week about an encyclical written by Pope Benedict about Love. He has asked the faculty, staff, and students to reflect on. The following dialogue as well as the scriptural passages, speaks volumes to me what Love is:

Cornel West: "....when I think about love, both in my own life and in the life of others, I think of that which keeps one keeping on.....Motion, Movement, Resilence, Resistance...."

Maya Angelou: "Yes."

Cornel West: "You can't love others until you love yourself. And loving yourself is not a matter of putting yourself on a pedestal. Its a matter of acknowledging your own humanity."

Maya Angelou: "There's a statement that was made in Latin. "I am a human being. Nothing human can be alien to me." Now that statement was made by Terence. And when you look in the encyclopedia besides Terence with one r , in italics you see Terentius Afer. He was an African, a slave, solde to a Roman senator, freed by that senator. He became the most popular playright in Rome, influencing everybody as far as Molie're. But in 154 B.C., this black man, not born white or free or with any chance of ever achieving citizenship in the Rome of his day, said this incredible statement: "I am a human being. Nothing human can be alien to me". This is so incredible! If you can internalize the least portion of that, you can never be the same.........I'm a black woman who has come through some things and who is going through something now. And if I live and the creek don't rise, I will go through something tommorow. I could not have gone this far without an understanding that there is no place that God is not." ..........."God is Love"........

Cornel West: "For me, this has to do with being able to view yourself in the light of a story thats bigger than your life...."you've got to be able to say, Look, I am a small character in a larger narrative that goes all the way back"......"You have to love yourself enough to allow it to spill over and support others"......:The Million Man March and a host of other events that generate some sense of possibility and motion"......."Thats Love"......

Maya Angelou: "Whatever my dream, whatever my hope, whatever my aspiration, and ambition, it is no greater hope than to be loved by my people".....To be loved by my people first!"
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Luke: 10: 25, 27
"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" .....So he answered and said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself"...................

I Corinthians 13: 4-8
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. Does not behave rudely, does not seek it own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; Does not rejoice iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.........."

It is a true Blessing to be in an environment to which I can nurture my Spiritual Self"