A Letter to my Seniors 2011

Karsten Tyson, maestro de Español                                el 28 de abril, 2011

My Dearest Seniors,

You are receiving this correspondence from me, because in some capacity our paths have crossed here at Saint Mary’s, either in class, the Spanish Club, on dorm or just randomly chatting it up.  This moment is both joyous and bittersweet, as I bid you farewell and wish you godspeed.  Congratulations to you, on going to the next level of your academic career.  Some of you still have unanswered questions about life beyond SMS, but that’s okay. 

If you would, allow me to slip into my Brother Tyson hat; as I feel like the Apostle Paul writing to one of his churches.  I have seen some of you transform from dubious and energetic freshmen into the glorious sisters of Saint Mary’s School.  You have many reflections of your high school career to share with your family and ultimately, posterior generations.  I hope that you have had a joyous learning experience here in the hallowed halls of Mary.  One of my favorite hymns is “Love Divine.”  I am sharing the last verse of the hymn with you.

                    Finish, then, thy new creation;

               pure and spotless let us be.

               Let us see thy great salvation

               perfectly restored in thee;

               changed from glory into glory,

               till in heaven we take our place,

               till we cast our crowns before thee,

               lost in wonder, love, and praise.

While sitting in chapel for the SGA and Marshall inductions today, it dawned on me that you are really about to leave this place in a little over 20 days.  I did not come to know many of you personally until last year.  One thing that I have noticed about you, is that you are your sisters’ keeper.  You look out for and protect each other in ways that are good and at times not-so-good.  That is one of the things that we do best here at SMS, taking care of each other.  This not only happens within the student population, but with the faculty and staff as well.  You all have made it through very tough obstacles, lost loved ones and faced consequences.  We have worked, played, learned, and prayed together. 

Some of your peers from the class of 2011 have been instrumental in the continuing of my faith formation.  In January of 2010, Lindsey Johnson proudly stood with me as my confirmation sponsor, as I was officially confirmed into the Episcopal Church.  Working with you has helped me realize my love for people, service, God and the church.  Virginia McMillan and Hayden Rizer sat on my ministerial discernment committee here at SMS in conjunction with other adults on campus and from my home parish, St. Ambrose.  I have discerned the call of God on my life to enter ordained diaconal ministry in the Episcopal Church.  Through their prayers, my discernment committee has formally nominated that I go forward to be presented as an aspirant for holy orders to Bishop Curry. 

I have had the pleasure of teaching some of your sisters, whom have gone on to do wonderful things after leaving this place.  I will more than likely have the joy of teaching some of your younger sisters who will soon come to Saint Mary’s at the appropriate time.  I don’t know where the wind of change will blow us collectively or individually, but I can rest in confidence that as I celebrate twelve years of teaching and learning from my students, that I am a better teacher because of you.  I want to encourage you to “reach out and touch someone in an unimaginable way.”  You’ll feel better, and the love will continue to flow from every mountain, valley, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

I do not have deep or prolific words to share with you, just a ton of memories and my personal love for teaching Spanish and the passion that I have tried to instill in you all.  I truly count it a blessing to have been in service as your maestro de español, for some of you, for others maybe your favorite non-teacher, and Monday night A-team Rover. I am thankful for those of you that put up with me as a teacher and stuck it through, there are some who came to my class on day number one and made an immediate B-line out the door, not mentioning names but (Virginia F, Abby and Millie).  Think about what Carrie said to us in chapel about SMS being a TV show.  What is your favorite episode?  Who is your favorite returning character?  I would not take nothing for my journey now, I have no regrets.  Live life like it’s golden.  Remember that life is good. 

In dedication and faithful service,

Karsten G. Tyson