Shining Glory

My late mom's favorite author, Gladys Taber, wrote so eloquently.  Reading the "Fall" chapter from Stillmeadow Sampler made me think of something I heard our health system CEO say in remarks to our hospital staff recently.  He talked with us about the four traits of good leaders:  They have integrity, they work well with others, they hold themselves accountable, and they are lifelong learners.  In Stillmeadow Sampler, published in 1959, Gladys Taber commented on the education of our children, hoping that "today's children may benefit as much as possible from the shining glory of acquired knowledge."  Fast forward 53 years:  Our two-year campus affiliated with the University of Wisconsin is developing a four-year liberal arts bachelor degree that will indeed bring a new era of shining glory of acquired knowledge to the residents of our community and region.  Whether it is through formal education, such as what will be offered at our campus, or through other, more independent educational pursuits, there is something exhilarating about learning something new, acquiring that new knowledge that will shape our perspectives and ways of thinking, expose us to new ideas and broaden our horizons of understanding.  I'm a firm believer in lifelong learning.