Saying Yes To Life!

“One of the most effective means for transcending ordinary and moving into the realm of extraordinary is saying yes more frequently and eliminating no almost completely. I call it saying yes to life."
~ Wayne Dyer

The Power & Joy of Community

This I Believe

I believe in the power of community. Living and working in community—specifically a university community—for the majority of my life, I have seen how community can heal, celebrate, educate, and transform.

I believe in the power of community to heal, comfort, and help. In the last 16 years, I have experienced the power of community to heal tragedy. The most tragic—a student death by accident or suicide or unexplainable reasons—requires communities to rally together to heal one another. I believe in the power of community to hold hands, listen, and be present during times of tragedy.

I believe in the power of community to celebrate joys and triumphs. One of my favorite days of the year is commencement where I stand at the back of Brookings Quadrangle to watch all of the undergraduates march by. The entire residential life staff cheers and celebrates this significant milestone for the students we have observed and interacted with over the last four years. I believe in the power of community to laugh, celebrate successes, and experience joy with one another.

I believe in the power of community to educate about the differences and commonalities of ideas, cultures, and people. Both the formal academic community and the out of the classroom community have the power to teach faculty, staff, and students about self-awareness, human respect and dignity, interpersonal relationships, personal wellness, and global citizenship. I believe in the power of community to reflect, dialogue, grapple, serve, lead, follow, and seek understanding from one another.

I believe in the power of community to transform. Communities are about people living, learning, and growing together. Young people “come of age” during college, and the university community has the power to transform lives and ideas. Ultimately, those transformed and those transformations have the power to heal and change the world for the better. I believe in the power of community to not only transform the world, but to also continuously transform me.

“Things and conditions can give you pleasure but they cannot give you joy—joy arises from within.” ~Eckhart Tolle

Student Connections!

"Only connect." --E.M. Forster

Connecting with students brings me joy. I have enjoyed meeting my six first-year advisees, the KY frosh, and students that I randomly sat by and introduced myself to at the Danforth University Center!

It has also been a great joy to reconnect with the Brookings Seminar, my junior and senior advisees, the RA staff, CS40 execs. and committee chairs, the WUSAs, and many other student leaders.

I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know students by name and story.

Joyful Music!

Music brings me much joy.

Several musician friends who bring joy to the world include Carrie Newcomer, Nerissa Nields, Katryna Nields, Susan Werner, Catie Curtis,Vance Gilbert, Cosy Sheridan, and Eddie from Ohio.

I have had the fabulous opportunity to present these artists in a concert setting. The way I see my role is to connect the music that I love with others. When artists have the chance to share something they are passionate about, there is a deep connection between the music and the message, between the messenger and the audience members. It is a beautiful thing when that happens.

And I think that that is what life is about. It is about sharing experiences, connecting with one another, speaking your truth, and supporting one another. Ultimately, you would think we would all know how important those things are. But musicians like Carrie Newcomer, The Nields, Susan Werner, Catie Curtis, Vance Gilbert, Cosy Sheridan, and EFO remind us of our humanity, our ability to be kind, and our responsibility for creating harmony in the world.

And in that lies the joy of music.

My Mom!

My mom brings me joy! She was in St. Louis for a brief visit this weekend. It was so fun to spend time with her. Yesterday, she accompanied me to the WU Parent's Resource Fair and enjoyed walking around the fair meeting WU faculty, staff, and students. She even got the scoop on "Home Plate" from Chancellor Wrighton!

Thanks the visit, Mom. It was fabulous, and I can't wait to see you again soon.

Washington U Move-In Day!

“Because how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
-Annie Dillard

I spent my day meeting, greeting, and welcoming 1515 first year students and their families to Washington University! This is my 17th WU orientation, and I love spending my days on a college campus learning, teaching, growing, challenging, laughing, and connecting. In fact, I have spent over half of my life in a university setting.

Today was a terrific reminder of why I love what I do....I consider it more than a job, it is a calling. Interacting with others and having the opportunity to meet such amazing, talented human beings and helping them create lives of meaning and purpose brings me joy.

I cannot imagine spending my days in any other way. I agree with Annie Dillard and am grateful for move-in day---my favorite day of the year!

I went to see Dar Williams last night at the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill. It was a terrific show in an intimate venue. She sang "The One Who Knows" and dedicated it to parents and everyone who plays a role in raising, supporting, and caring for children.

It made me think of my nephew, Drew...and how many people love and care for him: his parents: Merri & Kevin, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, cousins, friends....I hope he knows!

The One Who Knows
Words and music by Dar Williams

Time it was I had a dream
You're the dream come true
If I had the world to give
I'd give it all to you

I'll take you to the mountains
I will take you to the sea
I'll show you how this life became
A miracle to me

You'll fly away
But take my hand until that day
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done
You'll be the one who knows

All the things you treasure most
Will be the hardest ones
I will watch you struggle on
Before the answers come

But I won't make it harder
I'll be there to cheer you on
I'll shine the light that guides you down
The road you're walking on

You'll fly away
But take my hand until that day
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done
You'll be the one who knows

Before the mountains call to you
Before you leave this home
I want to teach your heart to trust
As I will teach my own

But sometimes I will ask the moon
Where it shined upon you last
And shake my head and laugh and say
It all went by so fast

You'll fly away
But take my hand until that day
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done
You'll be the one who knows

Bill Turns 40!

My good friend, Bill, turns 40 today. That brings me joy. We met at Indiana University in 1993 and have been friends ever since. We worked together for 7 years at Washington U when Bill was the Director of Orientation.

He has been Associate Dean of Students at Guilford College the last four years and has just been hired as the Dean of Students at Averett University in Virginia. Congrats, Dean Woodward!

For his 40th birthday, he invited friends to join him for a whitewater rafting trip in North Carolina. It was a blast. Happy 40th birthday, Bill. I look forward to joining the 40 club in the not too distant future. Life is short, live large!

Joyful Quotes!

Here are some of my favorite "joyful" quotes along with a photo I took last summer in Florida:


"Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth...Happiness comes from giving, not getting. If we try hard to bring happiness to others, we cannot stop it from coming to us also. To get joy, we must give it, and to keep joy, we must scatter it."
- John Templeton

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."
-Ella Fitzgerald

"I slept and dreamt that life was joy, I woke and saw that life was service, I
acted and behold service was joy."
–Tagore

Encouraging Joy & A New Year!

Thanks to Alicia and many other friends for encouraging me to re-start my Journey to Joy Blog! I plan to blog more frequently about what brings me joy.

Over the last few months, I have been incredibly joyful about the arrival of my first nephew--Andrew Kevin Mlincek--who arrived on the planet on April 9, 2009! I was there the day he was born and have seen him 4 times since. We are calling him Drew, and he is full of energy, joy, and life.

Welcome to the world, Baby Drew!