Our dog, Mack

Our dog, Mack, likes to chase things that he has no business trying to catch like squirrels and small birds. I think he knows that his leash is only so long, but this knowledge doesn’t seem to stop him from leaping forward vigorously. All of this activity does beg the question: What does he think he would do if he caught his prey? Admittedly, he probably isn’t contemplating the repercussions of his actions — read "Sapiens" if you need a clearer picture of what distinguishes us from other beasts — but for those of us on the other end of the leash, it is a compelling exercise to ponder.

In life, we’ve all had those moments when we have sprung after something without really thinking about what we would do if we caught it — metaphorically, of course. Those times are thrilling — leash be damned — because we haven’t allowed limitations, real or imagined, to keep us from straining against convention or expectations. It is perhaps in those moments when our authenticity is revealed. We’ve been told that Mack is part Catahoula Leopard Dog, a breed inclined to bounding up trees. What is it in our DNA that encourages us to explore?

I am inspired when our students move beyond what is expected of them to do the unexpected. I am not celebrating unnecessary risk-taking here but rather their resistance of the carefully curated choices that can be so seductive and comfortable. At last year’s graduation, we heard a young man share what happened when he tried to pass on a part in a theater production. The director, in her brilliance, offered him the opportunity to compose the musical score instead of playing the role for which he auditioned. He said yes before he thought through all that it would entail. Those who saw the play or heard the score were all the better for it, and so was he. Strategy and understanding the repercussions of our actions are worthy lessons, but neither alone will ever actually unleash our true selves in ways so thrilling and transforming.

Mack still hasn’t caught that bird or lizard or squirrel, but he hasn’t stopped trying, and nor should we.

JWB