Bob Echols

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

Dear Students: As one who has endured countless classes, courses and training, I have come to realize the benefit of mnemonic devices. Let me try, therefore, to compress and condense 50+ years of experience (and some wisdom) into one such device; namely, SCALE. S. Service, especially service to others. Strive to live and incorporate “non sibi” in all you do, and you will find your greatest happiness. This in my view is the true meaning of Wagner’s Parsifal. The Holy Grail we all seek is happiness, and happiness is most surely and completely attained through selfless service. As Kundry says in Act III, “Dienen, dienen.” To serve. C. Compassion. Have compassion for all and manifest it through your words and deeds. We are mired in an evolutionary process wherein we are still hardwired to distrust, shun, and even hate the unknown, the stranger, the outcast. While such sentiments reside in our DNA, the fact is that through patience and habit we can overcome this and be merciful. In the words of Thomas Gray: To each his suff'rings: all are men, Condemn'd alike to groan, The tender for another's pain; Th' unfeeling for his own. Show tenderness and have a reverence for all life. A. Anthropocentric. We live in anthropocentric times, the Anthropocene Epoch as it is called. This means simply that we humans, through our hubris and ignorance, have come to believe that we are the be all and end all of existence, with concomitant dire consequences for the world. As biologist Edward Wilson says, we do not own the Biosphere, we are merely a part of it. Acknowledge this fact and put it into practice with every decision that you make. We humans have the ability, through rational thought and intelligent action, to be stewards of our planet, not its despoilers. Exercise stewardship as a part of your reverence for life. Realize our power and use it wisely. L. Learn. Not just book learning, but certainly go as far as you can with your education. Rather, learn from each experience and each person you encounter. Be open to new ideas, new theories, new vistas, new ways of seeing and describing life. Remember Chaucer’s words: “And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.” Learn that you may teach others not as gifted as you. E. Engage. Work with people to accomplish these tasks, seek out teams and opportunities for collaboration. Yes, you will encounter people who are stupid, bigoted, slothful, arrogant, mindless, and embodying every other derogatory adjective you can posit. Of course, at some point in all our lives the very same appellations can be ascribed to us, so realize that people are the best way to solve life’s problems and get to it. Helen Keller put it best: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. “ So there you have it—my guidance to all of you. To conclude—in the words of Ernie Gillespie—go out and strike some shrewd blows for civilization, and then come back and show us your scars, and we’ll be glad to see you. Cheers!