Losing or Loosing

Living and working and loving in an environment like this, where everyone's lives intersect more than just at the office, binds us in ways that I've never had in a multi-sphered social construct. Here, we live in a culture where our Western education and access to - not to mention addiction to - international perspectives, information and dialog are truly foreign. This means that to get a taste of open dialog from multiple perspectives I, more often than not, revert to my International community. (Notably, there are several Indonesians who fit in this category; however, they are often ridiculed by their family or neighbors as "foreign wannabes.")

This combination of intellectual dependence, working proximity, and emotional/spiritual connection melds us as friends and brothers. Relationships are formed quickly and deeply. Most who spend more than a couple of years in this environment become either very bold or very timid relationally. All or nothing. Love without hesitation or wall up the heart. It's a place of beautifully dysfunctional people to be sure.

Graduation is this coming Thursday. Our fifth class to watch leave this magical place.

I'm not sure what to make of it.

Another section of friends off to four continents. Excitement and pain.

So, after five years of this investing and releasing, which is it? A losing of a relationship or a loosing? Am I selfish to say that not seeing some of them ever again means that I'll not know the return on my investment? Am I overly spiritual to say that I'll find out postmortem? And does it matter either way?

Graduation is this coming Thursday. And in some ways, the most exciting thing about it is that I get to wear my new tailored suit. Saying good bye is never a highlight for me.

Did I Miss Anything

By Tom Wayman
Question frequently asked by
students after missing a class

Nothing. When we realized you weren't here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 per cent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I'm about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 per cent

Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose

Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
a shaft of light descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring this good news to all people
on earth

Nothing. When you are not present
how could something significant occur?

Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human existence
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered

but it was one place

And you weren't here