In the past two and a half weeks, I have twice joined members of the Tufts community in creating literal "light on the hill" by partaking in a candlelit walk across the academic quad. Although there was a dramatic difference between the exciting, joyous mood of the freshman "First Night" and the somber, mournful mood of the vigil in response to the "Attacks on America," both events sought to create the "light on the hill" that symbolically unites our community. These past two weeks have changed my life in innumerable ways, turning my world upside down. However, through it all, I have always seen the "light on the hill," even when there were no candles.
Last year, I never would have thought that I would eventually be a student at Tufts University. In fact, until I received my acceptance letter, I barely gave this school any serious thought. Not that I was bitter about attending Tufts, but I just never thought I would. Of the schools I was accepted to, what made me ultimately choose Tufts over an extremely prestigious university was the idea that Tufts was a community: socially, intellectually, and emotionally. I have embraced and been embraced by this community in my time here.
After hearing about the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, I felt extremely lonely. As a freshman, I felt too distant geographically from my best friends at home, and too distant emotionally from my newly formed friends on campus. Although my Tufts experience has been largely positive, and I have had some great times here, I have felt homesick on several occasions. I have wanted to go home, but after hearing the news, what I felt was even stranger; I was scared. The strange feeling that ate away at the lining of my stomach and at my soul was not the fear of being attacked, but the fear of being alone. Though this tragedy will forever stay in my mind, the light on the hill helped to assuage my fear. As I stepped out of my dorm room, I was presented with support from countless sources, from religious groups to academic professors, from dorm meetings to discussion groups. I did not need to actually utilize these resources to feel comfortable. Just knowing they were there did wonders for the feeling in my abdomen.
As a learning community, and as a living community, we must always be a light on the hill. We cannot merely exist at matriculation, graduation, and at massive tragedies in between. Each person on this campus goes through private tragedies at any given time. Every day, we must each emit a radiance to those around us, offering ourselves and our support, because the light on the hill is the people of Tufts University. When there are no candles in our hands, we are still that light. By thinking, discussing, doing, and caring, we, a capable community with astounding resources, are the light on the hill.
One thing that walking the hill with candles has taught me is that we should not rush up the hill with our lights. If we do, the light will blow out. Most likely, though, there will be someone there to share his or her light with you.
