The Condition My Condition is In - A Reflection of Life

On February 17, Professor Laura Kelly presented her new book, The Condition My Condition Is In, to an audience of alumni, fellow professors, and students in AUBG’s Panitza Library.

 

The book itself represents a collection of letters written for FlagLive, a local newspaper in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she spent a good portion of her life working.

 

Her stories varied from recalling how she traveled in small choir groups to how singing helped her achieve a brief state of tranquility and peace -- Kama Muta.

 

Another experience Professor Kelly shared was meeting the late former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, while backpacking across Asia. 

 

Some of her more recent stories presented reflections from the COVID-19 pandemic - when people were forced to wear masks and distance themselves from one another. 

The worldwide pandemic made the feeling inside classrooms “dull, with a note of depression and disappointment,” as she says. Nevertheless, her students still found a way to make the expereince enjoyable.

 

Professor Kelly also encouraged the audience to draw inspiration from their experiences and write about the world around them.

“It’s how we make sense of the world. We tell stories, that’s how we learn about the things around us. We try to figure out this crazy planet that we are on and the wild journey that is life.”

 

Daniel Adsett, professor of Business Ethics at AUBG, said he enjoyed the stories she had picked. The presentation gave him a glimpse into the life of his colleague.

 

Professor Adsett also found the stories from the pandemic relatable.

“I could remember that myself, the kind of thoughts about isolation and wanting to finally get out.”

 

Edited by: David Mitov 

 

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