Staff Writer- Shy Lee
As people may have noticed recently, the library staff and President John Volin launched the Great Gustie Read, involving recurring weekly events called Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Tea Tuesdays, and Community Lunch and Learn. For the Great Gustie Read, the book The Good Life was sent out to all staff and students of Gustavus. DEAR is hosted from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. every Tuesday at the entrance of the library. Community Lunch and Learn will be hosted from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Feb. 25th in the Heritage Room.
Community Lunch and Learn has two sessions. The upcoming session, The Good Life Lesson–Relationships Matter, will have discussion prompts on tables. It is an opportunity to chat with friends or make new ones. The Good Life Lesson allows people to bring intentionality to talk about relationships.
DEAR was created to be a peaceful moment for those who wish to partake in library events without a strong commitment. There is no guideline to follow, being flexible for everyone’s preferences. You can choose to read at your own pace and attend when you feel like doing so.
“We decided on the DEAR event to support silent, individual reading. It’s our way of helping people find community, encouragement, and time to read,” Professor and Academic Librarian Julie Gilbert shared. “It’s empowering to take time to stop, to slow down, to sit and read, and to do that in a community.”
Gilbert has put in heaps of effort to get it out to the community. With the opportunity to build a strong connection with each other, reading can help be a kick starter towards that goal.
“We hosted a viewing of Robert Waldinger’s TED talk a few weeks ago. We’ve got a couple additional activities planned for after spring break, including writing notes to friends and making buttons,” Gilbert added.
Even if you can’t read the book, everyone is welcome to attend the activities. There is a lot more to look forward to than just the reading sessions, as the Great Gustie Read committee works to create a positive environment by adding tea, treats, and inclusive events.
In April, authors Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz of The Good Life will be visiting Gustavus, according to Associate Professor David Obermiller. It will be an open event for those who may want to speak to the authors and gain further insight into The Good Life.
Senior Director of Brand Experiences and Events Barb Larson Taylor touches on Waldinger’s research. “His work helps to make the findings from the Harvard Study of Adult Development accessible to many so we can learn from and perhaps make changes in our lives to be happier and healthier,” Taylor stated.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development went on for 85 years, highlighting “the importance of relationships,” Gilbert expressed. “DEAR is one way of cultivating relationships across campus and with yourself.”
“Gustavus has a long history of valuing community… People feel a sense of belonging within the campus and wider Gustavus community. This is rooted in relationships. Investing in meaningful relationships is important throughout all times in your life,” Taylor said. The Good Life holds relevance to the world, including Gustavus, emphasizing the impact of meaningful relationships.
If you need some ideas on what to discuss during DEAR or the Lunch and Learn, Obermiller gives a mind-challenging perspective. How credible can The Good Life be if the study only focuses on privileged, white Harvard men from the 1950s?
“Simply having a college degree in the 1950s, notably from Harvard, provides many more opportunities and choices to have a meaningful life. And here, I am not using the term a “good” life as I have issues with this term as well,” Obermiller contended.
More topics that can be brought forth are race and gender, two uncontrolled characteristics from birth. The Good Life shows uniformity in the lives studied. What would the outcome be if Waldinger and Schulz decided to study groups from contrasting backgrounds?
“I wonder if the study examined a black community in Mississippi encountering the KKK during the 1950s, or the recently freed Japanese Americans from imprisonment during WWII, who found their pre-war communities destroyed, if the study would come to the same rosy conclusion?” Obermiller questioned.
“The book glosses over the gender dynamic, as women were denied so many opportunities and choices that would certainly impede their ability to create and maintain meaningful choices,” Obermiller continues.
Although these can be viewed as difficult topics, they give leeway to much stronger and thought-provoking conversations. It challenges people to question whether the book’s message applies to everyone, especially those without the same social advantages.
Gilbert gives a different approach to the book. “My meditation teacher always says life goes up and down, like the waves of the ocean. A good life doesn’t mean no struggle; a good life is defined by how we deal with the struggles and conflicts we will inevitably face,” Gilbert noted.
Everyone views life in their own way. To gain new perspectives on forming relationships, sit in on DEAR Tea Tuesdays and the Community Lunch and Learn sessions. There are no requirements, just you and your brain.
“We hope people enjoy the themes of the book and come to events, even if they don’t have time to read the book!” Gilbert remarked. Focused on the cultivation of the community, the Great Gustie committee looks forward to any new attendees and hopes to see more people show up.