{Re}form

This may seem a strange word to use during this season of Readvent. As a transitive verb reform means to become changed for the better.

As we exited the McFarlin Auditorium of the Southern Methodist Univerity campus, I remarked to Keck that I think the Tate Lecture Series has changed our lives. He agreed.

It was here we first heard a lecture by Sanjay Gupta, MD, about brain health, obesity, and the fact that even a little exercise goes a long way. We heard Matthew Desmond talk about the spiral to homelessness our poorer citizens descend to when they are evicted. We understood that our justice system is deeply racist from hearing Bryan Stevenson talk about his life work with the Equal Justice Initiative.

We’ve been delighted to learn about spoken word poetry from Sarah Kay. Raj Chetty inspired us to change neighborhoods and communities to make a huge difference for children in poverty. Astronaut Scott Kelly inspired us with tales of an entire year spent in outer space.

And tonight David Rubenstein showed us how an only child who grew up in a working class home with no real talent (his words not mine) became one of the greatest philathrapists of our time.

Yes, I’d say the Tate Lecture has changed our lives. Because we’ve grown from these lectures. We’re more thoughtful with our politics. More inspired to rise up. When we know better we do better.

I cannot help but think that as we move through this time of Readvent, this knowledge and this inspiration has reformed us in the truest sense of the transitive verb. ❤