As the student body packed into the Terry Center once again to conclude the second full week of school, Mr. Earsing continued the conversation on this year’s theme: love.
In sharing his own stories regarding his experiences with love, he reiterated how we become “Men for Others” through loving others. Mr. Earsing recalled how it is easy for him to love his immediate family; however, when it comes to his relatives, he feels confused because he knew that he loves them, but it is awkward and unusually to say “I love you” to them. The struggle to convey his affection towards his distant family mirrors how we, as Jesuit students, struggle to love and empathize with those whom we do not normally associate with.
Furthermore, Mr. Earsing also addressed how Jesuit Dallas and other Jesuit high schools share a unique trait despite their similarities. They all have alma maters, fight songs, and graduation profiles similar to our own. However, when compared to high schools in general, Jesuit schools are unique in their dedication towards striving towards and promoting justice. They actively seek to inform their students about promoting justice which is only possible through love. Love is the key.
In keeping with the analogy presented by Mr. Garrison earlier in the year, Mr. Earsing expanded on the idea of Jesuit as a well. He detailed how those who maintain the well have the special responsibility of preserving and protecting the well so that all may benefit and “drink” from it. The owner of the well must make sure that the well has sufficient water, and the water is not tainted. Jesuit is the well which provides physical, mental, and spiritual health to all who come to it, and the Jesuit community protects the well so that all may thrive.
Many students appreciated Mr. Earsing’s words of wisdom. When asked about his thoughts on Mr. Earsing’s words, Ben Bacile ‘21 commented, “I thought it was a really great prayer service. It really told us how we need to protect the well and how the well is like our lifeline here and how we need to make Jesuit our home.” Will McKinney ‘21 noted, “I thought the talk about the well was pretty good. I think that Jesuit is a well of love.”
Mrs. Crowder also reflected on Mr. Earsing’s words stating, “Every year, the Principal and President share their thoughts with the community during the first two prayer services of the school year. This year, Mr. Earsing continued Mr. Garrison’s metaphor of the well – inviting students to consider that without water, without a ‘well’ there is no life and there is no home. Jesuit is a well that helps us create a home, a community here together. He finished his talk asking God to bless each of us this year to be models to each other and to the world of love.”
As this school year progresses, we must do as Mr. Earsing suggests and preserve the well so all may flourish.
