College creates a gratful heart

Class reunions or as academic institutions like to refer to them, milestone marks, can be a lot of
fun. In this column I have written many times on the speed at which time seems to pass. Things just fly
by as you get older and there appears to be no control switch to regulate the pace at which things in life
arrive. If there were to be such a knob I am quite confident that we would never be able to settle the
debate of when to turn the speed of things down, yet, extremely confident we would all want things not
to pass so quickly. A 25 year college reunion is one of those events that “officially” give you the
distinctive status of getting older. When began to think about college I really only considered two
colleges. Because of the influence of Dr. Harold Wortman as my long time music mentor, Cumberland
College in Williamsburg had the edge by a mile over Georgetown College just north of Lexington. The
influence at Georgetown was Dr. Dudley Pomaroy who believed strongly that Georgetown was the place
for me. Both of these Kentucky Baptist Institutions would have served me well I believe, but I decided
to become a Maroon and White Indian over a Tiger and as Robert Frost wrote, that has made all the
difference for me.
Deciding where you will attend college is filled with pressure like: you need to attend a good
college or university; you need an excellent education to make it in the world; you are led to believe
with the right seal on your diploma you will land a high paying job; Lots of these thoughts I heard and
many of these same lines are used today when students begin to think about under-graduate degrees. I
know folks who studied here in the mountains from Union who went to Princeton and I know folks from
Cumberland who went to Harvard. With those facts it can be said you can get to anywhere from
anyplace if you want to. Looking back 25 years there are some things you will not know when you begin
the journey. #1 you don’t know it yet, but some of your best friends in life you will make in college. #2
exposures to ideas and concepts are vital for a solid academic education. From these exposures you will
be able to test the theories of your belief system, the values you say are yours, and the character you
think you are will be challenged. These experiences are building blocks from which will build upon the
foundation that we received from our parents. The pursuit of an academic degree is not for everyone.
If your child landed this fall on a foreign land of higher education then I know there were fears of just
how much they are going to change along with the realization that your little one is not little anymore.
For some, this past fall landed them on a job field, or in a career zone. This too is a foreign land.
Hopefully they learned in high school how to be instructed, how to take orders if you will and hopefully
they learned that life is a journey. Best advice at this juncture for encouragement would be the thought
of Christian ideology. It is not how you start but how you finish that is most important.
In college I was introduced to practical skills I needed and that I use today. Some of them are
pure academic learning moments that do apply to life. Mathematics are an important understanding to
a person who loves to cook, as is science to a police officer or investigator. Growing up there is
difficulty in seeing how any of these things relate, but they do, it just takes time, sometimes.
My learning from the Historical Cumberland College now known as the University of the
Cumberlands is one I am thankful for. I appreciate the moments I thought I learned nothing and learned
everything. I appreciate the friendships I made and cherished. I value the new introductions and
moments of memory that cause reflection about people, places and moments locked in time. I applaud
David Bergman, Director of Alumni Relations, and my long time friends Jimmy Huddleston and Melanie
Mackey Evans for their efforts in making Homecoming #25 special for me.
The biggest applause for the weekend goes to the Master of Direction and the Guide of Life. I
am so glad I learned to trust in Jesus, for He and He alone has made all the difference in my life.
Following Him has not always been easy, but it has always been fruitful. Thanks Jesus for the way you
have directed my life and created so many opportunities, Cumberland College being one.

Until then