Simple Gifts, a Shaker tune from the 19th century, is a reminder to me about several things. First, amazing things can happen when we keep things simple. At the university there is a tendency to create complexity when simplicity is the order of the day. Second, in academia there is freedom to explore – to explore new teaching methods, new scholarly pursuits, and new ways to engage students and our communities. Be sure to take advantage of these freedoms. Finally, it is a wonderful feeling to know “when we find ourselves in the place just right”. As I’ve said before, academia is my anchor. Enjoy!
Simple Gifts
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.When true simplicity is gain’d,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.
Please take the time to enjoy the simple things in life.
A special ‘thank you’ goes to my daughter for sharing this tune and for sharing her love of music.
– from the pen of Dr. Percy Trappe
The Academic Anchor 
Leave a Reply