What does it mean to be part of a family? I’ll leave the answer to my philosopher roommates or my theologian wife, but surely, it’s more than meets the eye. Surely, it’s not ad hominem attacks, assaults on each other or disagreeable rules. Siblings fight, children rebel and parents make difficult choices, but the essence of a family must be deep to survive such imperfection. Surely, it’s more than dances, intramurals and card access. Bonds are strengthened by spending quality time together, but restrictions on these activities do not make or break the “Notre Dame family.” If they do, I would be hard-pressed to call this a family at all. If not here, where might we find the Notre Dame family?
We find it in the friend who lends you a jacket when you get caught in the rain; in the roommate who brings food when you’re sick.
We find it in the teaching assistant who stays late to help you crack the difficult problem; in the South Dining Hall worker who always greets you with a smile; in the professor who knows your name on the first day of class; in the rector who sacrifices years to help you grow; in the alumnus who helps you find a job.
We find it in the sleepless eyes of an administrator, up late checking on a student in crisis; in the students fighting for social justice. We find it in the walks around the lake; in the prayers at the grotto; in the memorial Mass for a friend. We find the Notre Dame family in each other. The vitality of the Notre Dame family is something we must fight for if we want it to survive. We must fight not against each other in pithy editorials, picket lines or statements; rather, with each other, for the things that matter. What is the essence of the Notre Dame family? How can we strengthen that family in a messy and sometimes dangerous world? Take your ideas to Main Building; grab a coffee; talk. Surely, that’s worth fighting for.Anthony Musso
class of 2015
Sept. 16
