Closing Remarks

By Rev. Sam Speers, Associate Dean, Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices

Convocation Closing—in response to Prof. Peter Antelyes’ “Afterlife of Surprise”

Beloved people, 
may we be open this year 
to “the afterlife of surprise”.

In a disorienting time, may it re-orient us. 
May its creative disruption 
pry us loose 
from our stuck places 
and show us anew 
what we don’t know, 
what we still have to learn, 
what reverence might mean in a time like this.

So may we let surprise 
help us reckon 
with who we are 
and who we are becoming.

Each day we are given, 
may we attend 
with broken-open hearts 
to the wonder of our being here together, 
the wonder of our being at all.

So may we let surprise have its afterlife, 
calling us 
into more learning, more presence, 
more solidarity, more kindness— 
in short, more love.