In his book, Seeing with the Heart: A Guide to Navigating Life’s Adventures, the Jesuit Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J. describes the importance of balancing a life of action with a life of contemplation:
“Living with purpose demands that we work through certain creative tensions. We must pay attention both to where we are walking and to the distant horizon: not so focused on our end that we miss out on what is right around us, not so focused on what’s around us that we lose sight of the end that keeps us on track. Like those early Jesuits, we are also meant to be contemplatives in action: not so reflective that we become preoccupied with ourselves, not so active that we miss the meaning that comes with taking time to reflect. Finding the right balance from day to day is challenging, so much so that we might be tempted to simply choose one over the other to make our life less complicated.” (14)
This insightful reflection on the value of Contemplation in Action helps set the stage for my own reflection on this week’s Welcome Back event that took place on the Eleanor Holmes Norton Green. The start of any semester presents this tension between action and contemplation. Students, faculty, and staff can find themselves so focused on the details and logistics about the start of class and other university activities that they miss the opportunity to pause and reflect on the larger purpose of our educational enterprise at Georgetown. On the other hand, there is a temptation to spend too much time reflecting on the larger purpose of our learning that we miss the opportunity to dive into and initiate the pressing work that calls us. Getting the details right, especially in the completely new 111 Massachusetts Avenue building, matters for our end goals.
The Welcome Event on Capitol Campus illustrated this balance between action and contemplation. On a resplendent August afternoon in Washington, D.C., students gathered on the green and enjoyed food, music, lawn games, resource tables, and unplanned connections with students, staff, and faculty in various programs. It was an exciting moment in the life of the growing Capitol Campus as the potential of co-location, agglomeration, and density (all urban planning principles) were realized. By being proximate to one another, the many academic programs that now call the campus home have new opportunities for engagement across disciplines. I personally marveled at the sight of students meeting each other from outside of their programs. The possibilities are endless about the collaborations that may come.
I appreciated that action and contemplation were occurring simultaneously. Students were making important connections with resource offices, including the Office of Mission and Ministry, and signing up for early semester programs. They were in the midst of activity. But students were also resting, soaking up the sun, and finding companions around small circles to enjoy their meals. The overall atmosphere was encouraging and upbeat. It was a prolonged moment of pause and peace, welcomed by all as we get back earnestly to all the sacred work that calls us.