Published: April 30, 2007 11:13 am      

GC graduation: ‘Choose courage over fear’

Goshen, Ind — “Goshen puts an emphasis on the integrity of mind, body and soul, and I know you have worked hard, played hard and served hard. Now you are ready to be let loose on the world,” said the Rev. Joy Carroll Wallis to the gallery of Goshen College graduates during the GC commencement Sunday afternoon.

She spoke to the 243 graduating students honored during the 109th annual GC commencement.

Wallis, the commencement guest speaker, grew up in the inner city of South London as the child of an Anglican priest. She was one of the first women to be ordained as a priest on the Anglican Church of England in 1994.

She told the gallery a story of an old Cherokee who taught his grandson of two wolves that battle within each of us. One evil that embodies the negative temptations in life, and the other good that embodies “joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith,” she said.

The Cherokee’s grandson asked, “which wolf wins?”

“The old Cherokee replied, ‘The one you feed,’” she said.

“Just because you are all set with this fabulous educational and spiritual experience here at Goshen, it doesn’t mean it’s easy/plain sailing from here on in ... It’s all about the choices and the decisions we make. Making the right choices, feeding the right wolves, and it’s something we will wrestle with for the rest of our lives on a daily basis,” she said.

The GC graduating class is made up of 60 students who graduated with a bachelors of science in nursing degree, 16 with a bachelors of science in organizational leadership, three with a bachelors of science in organizational management, and 164 with a bachelors of arts degrees.

“The message that stuck with me was of the wolves and which one you feed in life,” said nursing major Marianne Stegman. “And that you need to stay true to yourself.”

Wallis also said, “Don’t just go where you are directed or invited, don’t just do something because you can, but go where your moral compass leads you. Try and make the connections between your talents and gifts and your deepest values and beliefs.”

Interdisciplinary major Dan Clouse said, “I want to travel, get out of the country and clear my head a little bit before settling down.”

Clouse had a Spanish focus throughout college. “I want to travel to a country that speaks Spanish. I could polish that up a bit, and I believe it will help me to get a job anywhere,” he said.

Wallis also noted the emotion of “fear” as a culprit that can hold people back.

“After the terrible shooting at Virginia Tech, I’m afraid to ever let my kids go to college ... but I cannot feed that wolf,” she said, “Always look for the courage to counter the fear. Which wolf will we feed? Feed the courage, starve the fear. Let us strive to be the ones who choose courage over fear.”

Respond: (574) 533-2151, ext. 310

dave.johnson@goshennews.com