Susan Herr Engberg, '62

I must have known at least something about the art of concentration before I stumbled into Lawrence in the fall of 1958. Yet, as I compress those four years for their deepest value and sweetness, what I hold is the lesson of paying attention. To learn to be quiet and then even more quiet, to focus, to listen, to be aware simultaneously of an object of attention and of my inner experience, to be patient and then more patient, as patient as necessary as the essence is coaxed out -how this art has served me over the years! At Lawrence I was allowed to learn it within the exemplary atmosphere of being paid attention to, of feeling that all the while I was learning to settle down and concentrate on becoming myself, I was being watched over with a kindly, focused regard.

You are encouraged to add your reactions or comments or to contribute a 25- to 150 -word memory of your own by clicking here or by writing a letter to the editor (Lawrence Today, Lawrence University, P.O.Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912-0599). Contributions may be published in future issues of Lawrence Today magazine and/or added to the on-going collection on this web page.