After the wilderness retreat in 2018, I was writing my final paper for the class. But my wife and I (and our two young kids) had also booked a trip to Penticton, and I was frantically trying to get my paper done before we left for our trip. I wasn’t able to, and I was planning on bringing it with me to finish. I had never once missed a deadline or asked for an extension, nor did I plan to. BUT, I had just spent the week with David, where he taught us about leadership, self-care, and being true to our values. So I emailed him, very tentatively asking what his thoughts were on me handing it in two days after I got back from my holiday. This is what he wrote to me in an email,
“Please unplug...and plugin to the right stuff! Take the time you need to be with family and explore the Inner Journey while you’re at it; perhaps you find further reflections that make your paper even better! Safe Travels and Happy Trails, David”
My wife got teary at the time, because she said it was so sweet, and she never imagined a professor would care so much about me putting my family first.
David taught us about stress and how to “mine” the reasons for it (his words), he challenged us to be honest with ourselves, and he modelled how to live for a higher purpose. He was a great mentor and a role model to so many people. His impact ripples on, and he will never be forgotten.
After the wilderness retreat in 2018, I was writing my final paper for the class. But my wife and I (and our two young kids) had also booked a trip to Penticton, and I was frantically trying to get my paper done before we left for our trip. I wasn’t able to, and I was planning on bringing it with me to finish. I had never once missed a deadline or asked for an extension, nor did I plan to. BUT, I had just spent the week with David, where he taught us about leadership, self-care, and being true to our values. So I emailed him, very tentatively asking what his thoughts were on me handing it in two days after I got back from my holiday. This is what he wrote to me in an email,
“Please unplug...and plugin to the right stuff! Take the time you need to be with family and explore the Inner Journey while you’re at it; perhaps you find further reflections that make your paper even better! Safe Travels and Happy Trails, David”
My wife got teary at the time, because she said it was so sweet, and she never imagined a professor would care so much about me putting my family first.
David taught us about stress and how to “mine” the reasons for it (his words), he challenged us to be honest with ourselves, and he modelled how to live for a higher purpose. He was a great mentor and a role model to so many people. His impact ripples on, and he will never be forgotten.
