Philmont Grace—Dr. Carl Hammerstan
Carl Hammerstan, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of mathematics.
For food, for raiment
For life, for opportunity
For friendship and fellowship
We thank thee, O Lord
-Philmont Grace
I don’t know about you, but for me this week—or maybe I should say this semester? Or this year?—has been, for lack of a better word, unexpected. As I made yet another modification to my course schedule today, I found myself thinking fondly of a long-ago trip to Philmont Scout Ranch, nestled in the mountains of New Mexico. I spent two weeks there in the summer of 2002 hiking with my scout troop. Being miles from civilization, carrying “everything” in my pack, and living by the sun’s schedule, really brought to my attention to how my gratitude for the simple things is often displaced by my anxiety for the complex.
Every now and then, I find it calming to remember that some of the most meaningful things in life are indeed quite simple and thus easy to take for granted. I think the Philmont Grace, which we said before every meal on our trip, is a helpful reminder of those simple things I should be grateful for.
For food, for raiment. Sure, my in-person/connected lecture fell apart due to a combination of Zoom glitch and students misreading the rotation schedule. But, at the end of the day, we’re all going back to the warmth of our houses or dorms. The dining hall is open for service. There is food in the cupboard. We have clothes on our backs. It sounds trite, but we have a measure of safety and comfort in our lives. We will all be back next lecture, and we can try again.
For life, for opportunity. More broadly, it has been far too easy for me to get stuck lamenting that nothing this semester has gone how I planned. But, I then remember that it has at least gone at all. Despite the unprecedented disruptions of 2020, our campus has soldiered on, in a fashion. My life has continued. I am lucky to have the opportunity to continue teaching, learning, and working in the profession I love.
For friendship and fellowship. Perhaps the most important reminder: I am not alone. From my wife and kids at home to my colleagues on campus to my students in the classroom, we are all in this together. And, thanks to our Solidarity, that has made the entire “2020 experience” something I never expected, but also something I am surprisingly grateful for.
Carl Hammerstan, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of mathematics.