Today was college spirit wear at McGowen. Well, for the faculty anyway. You might also have heard it referred to as “an-excuse-to-have-an-extra-jeans-day-this-week”, too. It’s college awareness week throughout the district so we had the chance to show off our school colors today in an effort to promote higher education to our students.
And that got me to thinking about my college experience and how that has impacted my life. I figured with today my threads of gratitude day, I’d pay homage to the old alma mater with a special post.
So here goes…
First up is Gordon College, my undergrad alma mater. Home of the Fighting Scots. Whose official mascot may look a lot like a modern-day William Wallace but whose unofficial mascot is a scottie dog. I mean, how could you not love that?
Apparently, I could not love that because for as long as I can remember growing up, there were two things I was *NEVER* going to do: I was *NEVER* going to be a teacher and I was *NEVER* going to go to Gordon College. I think it’s safe to say I learned my lesson about when you should say *NEVER*. For reasons too lengthy to explain, however, I knew Gordon was where I needed to go.  And it ended up being the perfect place for me, for so many reasons. And for every one of those reasons, I’m grateful:
- for the beauty of the campus and the seasons. Believe me, for a Florida girl, having seasons was like living in a dream. There were days where I was just awestruck by the beauty of the fall foliage…or mesmerized by the serenity of a snowfall…or dazzled by the color of springtime. In the four years I spent there, I couldn’t get enough of God’s creation…I soaked it in like a sponge, capturing those images and memories in my mind’s eye so that I would never lose sight of God’s glory.
- for the opportunity to live close to my grandparents. Growing up in Florida, my visits with them were few and far between. Being a 15-minute drive away for 4 years meant I had nearly unlimited access to a free laundromat, hot home-cooked meals, a quiet study room, and Grampa’s awesome model railroad. It wasn’t long after my graduation that my grandmother’s health began to decline, and I will always be grateful for the special moments we shared during my time at Gordon.
- for Christian professors and a praying community. When I suffered my accident in the summer between my sophomore and junior years, I could easily have lost a whole year due to the scheduling of my required classes. But I had one professor in particular who went out of his way to make sure I could fulfill the class requirements on an independent study basis while I recuperated, making up portions when I returned in the spring. He went so far as to call me once a week to discuss course material and my progress…long distance from Boston to Dallas. And I received numerous cards and gifts and phone calls from other professors, staff, and concerned classmates offering prayers and good wishes not just at the beginning, but all the way through my recovery period. I doubt I could have expected that outpouring of love and support from anywhere else but Gordon.
- for the challenges to my faith. I went there to have my faith supported and strengthened, but found it challenged instead. From my very first biology class where I had to give a defense of my belief of the origin of life, to watching difficult films presented by Amnesty International, to wading through personal and interpersonal struggles, I found myself stretched spiritually and forced to discover why I believe what I believe. To not accept my faith for its own sake but to defend it. To not swallow “religion” whole and blindly, but to live it – out loud.
- for helping me discover what God had been calling me all along to do. I tried to make a different path for my life. I tried to be something other than what God had created me to be. But when I came face-to-face with the hard reality that I just wasn’t satisfied, wasn’t happy, with my choice, I found acceptance. And peace. And a welcoming group of friends who made class fun.
I’m grateful for other colleges, too. Like Texas A&M, home of the Fightin’ Texas Aggies (WHOOP!). It was there that my husband received his degree. And like me, he had many life experiences there that helped to make him the man he is today…the man I fell in love with years ago.
I’m grateful for Richland Community College…and in particular a physics class in the summer of 1987. I’m grateful for my very special lab partner, who later became my life partner, and the journey we’ve shared.
But really, I’m just grateful to have been a Fighting Thunderduck. Does it get any more cool – or ridiculous – than that?