Written by Sarah Kyle
Ihave thought about this column for the entire school year. What would I have to say after a yearof following your lives and trying to share your stories with this campus? Would I be sad? Glad? Just plain tired?
I think it’s a combination of those things. But most of all, I want to leave you with something real.
From fires to earthquakes to I’m- Not-In-Kansas-Anymore winds, the elements have provided their fair share of news articles in the past few months. I have watched families and Harding students struggle with the pain caused by tragedy, death and destruction. I have also experienced the joy and craziness of some of Harding’s more traditional moments during club week, HomecomingandSpringSing. I’ve seen how crazy chapel can get when Brandon Ragsdale decides to literally”Jump,ShakeYourBooty” with Belles and Beaux. I’ve been thrust into difficult decisions as our university struggled to affirm her beliefs and make decisions accordingly.
But what’s the takeaway? Are you ready for it? It’s pretty profound.
Take the time to listen.
Everybody has a story to tell. Not to get cheesy or go Colorado- granola-hippie on you, but if you learn to truly listen to people, no matter their beliefs or experiences, you will be able to show them God without getting in your own way.
I have been extremely blessed to spend the last four years of my life learning to listen. When I walk across that stage on May 14, Dr. Rebecca Weaver (who will forever be B-Weave to us) will say that my degree is a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism. I think a more fitting degree title would be “Professional Listener and Storyteller, with a minor in giving a voice to the voiceless.” But I guess that’s a little too long to fit on a diploma.
People often ask me why I chose a less-than-lucrative profession with less-than-ideal hours. I distinctly remember wrapping up an interview this summer and having a source ask me to turn off the recorder, look me straight in the eyes and say, “Journalism is not a legitimate profession.”
If your definition of a “legitimate profession”is 8 a.m.to 5 p.m.Monday through Friday, you’re right. But to me, a legitimate profession is using the talents you have to make a difference, no matter how big or small, in this world.
Do I have the responsibilities of a CEO or a doctor? No. My responsibility comes with a superhero-like call to “use one’s powers for good, not evil.” Have you ever thought about how much of a difference words can make? Words can destroy, build up or enact change. The printed word can keep a corrupt politician accountable, inspire a community to help those in need and provide one last tribute to a life lost.
While newsprint fades and crinkles, the Internet and social media have made it possible for the written word to be recorded and archived until our Lord returns.
In a nutshell, I have spent the last four years learning to listen and tell people’s stories because I want to use the power of words to tell the stories that need to be remembered. If words are going to last as long as this world does, I want them to be meaningful.
Every day, I want to take the opportunity to walk into someone else’s life and make a difference. While the basics of reporting are the same, each day will hold different triumphs and struggles. Each day will draw from the skills I learned during my four years working with you. As my adviser, Jim Miller, likes to say, it’s time for me to fly.
SARAH KYLE serves as the editor-in-chief for the 2010- 2011 Bison. She may be contacted atskyle@harding.edu
