By Steve Stricker

Columnist

Writing this Thanksgiving Day (pray we beat State tomorrow), slowly sipping a swell bourbon, so right Wild Turkey 101, nibbling popcorn chicken and fruit for a lovely Thanksgiving brunch, family scattered, just me, Jag and God, and a warm glow pulsing from my beat up heart, mind and body – but after beaucoup doc appointments, stressful, serious implication procedures over this past year, finishing the past few days, whew – all is, whew, thankfully, humbly, okay.

Our amazing Ole Miss students returned from Thanksgiving break this past Monday, December 2nd; fall classes end this Friday the 6th; feel the electricity, brain energy, tension and sweat factor cranking up as dreaded finals begin Monday, December 9 through Friday the 13th appropriately.  Then – see my outstretched arms, they are off for Christmas Break until Spring Classes begin on Tuesday, January 21, 2025….

Oxford is the best college town in the USA and I am lost when our Ole Miss students are on long breaks like this and over the summer.

Do y’all remember those rather wonderful stressful final times?  Just one obstacle between you and a very long Christmas Break, or wonderful summer, or finally, graduation and a “real” life – the dreaded FINALS.

Suppose I was a glutton for punishment, more likely attempting to prove to my three older sisters (and me) that I was not stupid, because not counting high school diploma, also completed my Ph.D., MA, MAT, and BS.  And with those came, a plethora (use this word because I hate it) of tests, finals, assignments, thesis(s) a dissertation, and the mother of all finals – Doctoral Comps!!

BS obtained by grace of God (almost flunked out) because of my dad’s death weeks before freshman classes and his Social Security; first master’s courtesy of Uncle Sam after three years in the Amy; MAT, MA by working at Southeast Missouri State, Ph.D., working on the Ole Miss Campus.

Ironic that working fulltime, taking classes day, night, weekends, teaching, administration duties, and all that busy stuff, and still got a lot done at Ole Miss and home.  Now retired, just daily Mass, writing my weekly column for the Eagle and the same pile of projects, struggle to get anything done!  Love/hate pressure and deadlines but respond to it, just had to squeeze all the rest in between.

I truly loved all that craziness, knew I was alive, had a purpose, especially loved our college students, teaching and working with them. It goes by very quickly so stop, soak in what you are doing because in an eye blink you will be looking back on it.  Don’t’ like what you’re doing, chill, it will quickly change.  Don’t like your office (whatever), it will quickly change.  Just try to look way beyond all that being over and just relax, do your best now so that you have no regrets, and enjoy every second of the chaos because you will, like me, miss it.

Noting I ever did was planned by me, gave my life to God, and it all just happened and even though felt wrong at times with much stress, was right for me.  Even now, kind of floundering flipping flopping feeling lost – have to stop, remind myself that God has me right where I should be, deep breath, quit trying to take control, and enjoy where I am because its right for me right now.

Next, BC to AD with the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ…so very right.

Steve lives in Oxford, and received his Ph.D., in Counseling from Ole Miss