Community Chat

[occasionalrain]

When the mail arrives, the essentials: bills, invitations, letters are separated from the junk, which is discarded. What's left are the things to deal with later, "gifts" from charities like address labels too appealing to throw out without a bit of guilt, and, seasonally, my University Magazine.

Today, I decided to sort those set aside for later things. I started with the Magazine. I got to the marriages, births, and deaths. Reading the deaths, I hadn't  been prepared for the ones who were members of a 2000 class.

It took me back to my classmates, what they were like, happy and excited for their future. It was unimaginable that their future would be ending for some in less than 10 years.

Do you read your University Magazines or put them aside to discard later without more then a brief skim?

[ALRATIBA]

My alma mater probably has a magazine - but I don't get  They send email newsletters and occasional snail mail  (and the usual donation requests.)

There's a lot going on their now - they are celebrating their 150th Anniversary - so lots of email and snail mail lately.

I follow my college, high school and grammar school on FB.  College is on Twitter - my audiologist was featured not too long ago. 

[deepwaterdotter]

I skim and toss.  At my age, I only recognize the professors and alumni that have passed.

[Cakers3]

I've requested to be removed from the mailing lists.  More stuff in the trash/recycle is not needed.

I can always search the websites of these institutions, which I do not bother to do since nothing is relevant after all these years.

[Kalli]

I get my university’s magazine and I don’t generally take the time to read it.  The last one I skimmed had an article by a dr telling people diabetes is completely preventable. He didn’t say *largely* preventable either.

My youngest brother, a slim athletic guy, is diabetic and his dr told him it wouldn’t have made any difference what he did, he wasn’t going to avoid this. His pancreas is basically dead. It wasn’t because of diet. He’s been slim his entire adult life. In fact he always struggled to keep weight on. My maternal grandmother was diagnosed in her fifties. My brother was diagnosed in his forties.

[jlkz]

My college sends out its magazine a few times a year.  As it is approaching its 95 th anniversary, I am sure there will be a lot of pieces of mail coming.  I do read the magazines.

At 76, I don't know the professors nor the students; however, the articles I read are well written and to the point.  I appreciate knowing that the college is keeping up with the fast-paced change of things.  They have added and expanded over time the degrees to include Masters and Doctorates.  The simple majors have become integrated across the curriculum.  The students from all over the world are more involved with community than our classes ever were.  So many students are also receiving financial aid....in the future they will take our place as benefactors !

When the Annual Report comes out, I do check the lists for my class: who still contributes.  Just curious.

I was able to grow and accomplish so many things in my life thanks to the education and role-modeling of the nuns there:  A woman can be strong, feminine and top of her profession.

A caption under a small picture at the bottom of a page in one seasonal magazine led me to a friendship with a nun who had served in a small village above the tree line in the Andes Mountains in Peru.  Of course, she spoke Spanish (and teaches French at my college).  

Prior to COVID, she returned to village each year to support the families, mostly women left to themselves.  The poverty was and still is unbelievable.  With donations provided, she ensures that the youngsters have warm coats and clothing as they go into bitter winters.  Their diet is not the best: she buys enough staples ( no meat this high in the mountains and no electricity to speak of ) for the families to get by.  Two years ago, clean water needs were addressed.

I was overwhelmed with the picture she sent me: it was a picture of one family standing behind the foodstuffs my donation provided.  Knowing that they were praying for me in thanksgiving touched my soul.

COVID has touched their community too:  The priest in the nearby village who coordinated these efforts and managed the water project died this summer.  He was in his 40's.

When travel is permitted, she will return.  A foundation is being set up to continue her work into the future.

...all this from reading a seasonal college magazine !!!

Too, a post I responded to very recently talked about " Being in the Right Place at the Right Time ", I guess that you don't have to be physically there for it to be the right place !!!