Dear Samford,
It’s ironic that I’ve spent the past four years here engaging in an endless pursuit to perfect the written word, yet I still can’t string together letters that fully articulate the ways you’ve changed me. As one last semester has flashed by, I’ve made the difficult effort to sit still and reflect on you amidst the blur of job hunting and “lasts.” The mantra that’s taken up residence inside my muddled mind has consistently been your storied motto – For God, For Learning, Forever.
For God
When I first entered your gilded gates as an eager freshman, I wasn’t sure who, or what, I believed in. My soul was at a crossroads. I was drawn to you because the campus felt prayed over and something in my soul stirred enough to drag me through your gates. Throughout college I’ve walked through dark, twisting and disorienting paths, filled with halting dead ends and deep pits, but they’ve only served to further illuminate the little light that’s taken up residence in my soul. I’ve been surrounded by people who don’t mind walking through the blackness with me, and when I was plunged into the water and came up new, no one cheered louder than my Samford community.
For Learning
I never fathomed that I would be one of those lucky students who enjoyed their major. I possessed no genuine desire to learn until I met you, and certainly had no future career aspirations. When I think back on four completed internships and various leadership roles, I recognize they were only possible because of the faithful stewardship of those who paved a path for me. My education here has both nurtured me and forced me to discomfort. Your halls hold within them a unique mix of security and stimulation that leads to a breeding ground for achievement. I owe my future (currently unknown) career entirely to you.
Forever
My last days here are permeated with anticipatory nostalgia. I feel an unexpected splash on my face as I pass by Ben Brown’s sparkling blue waters, or experience the comforting touch of sun rays reaching for my face as I sprawl on the quad’s verdant grass, and somehow I can’t shake the sensation of yearning to go back to the moments I’m currently living in. As these last moments slip quietly by, I share a knowing smile as I pass an old friend in the library or giggle late into the night with long-established friends, and I know I will forever be tethered to you.
For God, For Learning, Forever.
Rachel Biddy
[photo courtesy of Creative Commons]
