Dear alumni/ae and friends,
Living in Music City means that there are many opportunities to talk about music and to enjoy the pleasure of live music in various venues. The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,” has been the hymn echoing in my spirit during these last few weeks of the academic year. I’ve heard the song performed by an orchestra here in Nashville, and at a different time, in a small church congregation. In both places, it reminded me to be grateful for the simple things we often take for granted: the beauty of the trees as winter turns to spring; the excitement of students as they end one season of their lives and begin another; and the beauty of a simple song, whose words resonate with a full orchestra and also when sung acapella. “Simple Gifts” is a reminder to keep our lives focused on the things that matter, to not allow extraneous forces to distract us from the beauty and simplicity of the divine gifts we have been freely given, including faith, hope, and love.
Best,
Yolanda Pierce
Dean
Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair
Professor of Religion & Literature
