Thoughts

Hard to believe this was three years ago... <3 <3 <3

3 years and 5 days ago today, I made one of the best decisions of my still-developing life: I chose to attend Assumption College. Being away from AC during this experience in Italy has really put into sharp relief how special a school it is. I find myself thinking about what I left behind at Assumption every day, because here in Italy, the educational experience is nowhere near as personal. I’m truly blessed to be a Greyhound. My mom recently called me and explained how one of our family friends attended a major conference on Dante at my school. When she told people that she knew me, she was amazed how faces lit up. I’m not trying to be pompous in mentioning this detail: it’s just that I never imagined I’d have such an impact at a school. I’m an understated young man: I don’t like to stick out. But to be able to leave my mark on Assumption, even during a short 6-month absence, that’s a sign of something really special. It’s true what I’ve said all along: your Assumption experience never leaves you. It becomes an integral part of your soul. Even if you’re not religious, the College still manages to truly impact your life. I’ve met some singularly great people at the College: priests who take the label of “father” to heart, an academic advisor who could be considered a father himself, professors who “light fires” every day (see William Butler Yeats), and never get tired of doing so, the fabulous Campus Ministry family that has established God as the one and true center of my life, a super awesome bromate, and so many more. In every sense of the word, Assumption College is a family, one that I am so glad to be a part of. 

Which brings me to recent events. Yesterday, I found out that a student at the College had been supporting Anders Breivik, the Norwegian terrorist who brutally killed 77 people (including children) in 2011. At first, I was livid: how could someone support something so horrid? But then, I thought: I can’t do anything about what one person thinks. What I truly hoped was that Assumption’s reputation would not be soiled. Today, Assumption is FILLED with great people. The graduates of years past have gone on to make positive changes in this world and touch hundreds of lives. The acts of one person should not reflect on the College as a whole. I found myself wishing that I was back at Assumption, ready to defend its honor. I guess the best thing I can do is pray that the family that’s given me so much gets through this fiasco with its mission intact. I love you Assumption! KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!