I am sitting in the foyer of Boston College’s School of Social Work as I type this blog entry, having come to look at a couple of graduate programs. I have always loved this part of the country, and the thought of possibly living here for a time is a happy one.
As if to contribute to my feeling of “being at home,” I have run into two people who are connected with another favorite place: The Collegeville Institute at Saint John’s University. The first encounter was with a young man I met at SJU last year while I was a resident at Institute He was a master’s student at the School of Theology there.
I started to call out to him, but checked myself. What were the chances of running into a SOT grad here on my short visit. He continued to walk toward the door.
“What would it hurt,” I thought. “If it isn’t him, no harm done.”
“Don’t I know you from Collegeville?” I asked. He stopped and turned around and smiled. Yes, we had spent a number of afternoons visiting over lunch at the SOT’s Thursday’s Conviviums. And, he made the best caramels to share at Christmas time. He is on campus working on a PhD in theology. We reminisced briefly about our experiences and fond memories of SJU and wished each other well.
I was still thinking about that encounter while I sat in the foyer of the Boston College School of Social work. In the middle of checking email, I glanced up and saw, sitting across the entranceway, a young woman wearing a St. Ben’s sweatshirt. Remembering my own daughter’s surprise and pleasure when she was at some academic function and someone recognized her alma mater, I walked over to talk with the St. Ben’s grad.
We talked a bit about St. Benedict and Saint John’s (a combined university) and her experience as a second year student in the MSW program at BC. She was getting ready to go to Thailand for a practicum, being part of the MSW’s global concentration track.
“I am sooo glad you came over,” she said. I was, too.
Something about meeting people who have connections to the same place I do, makes me feel more at home in new environs. BC has been a warm and welcoming place for me these past two days. A little bit of Minnesota and Saint John’s camaraderie made if feel all the warmer despite wind and dropping temperatures.
Besides, we three had all lived through -39 F temperatures, so a little Boston wind and chill barely registered.
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