Dearest Friends, Fairies, Babies, Peers, and Elders,
I dip my fingers into the electric ink-well before me to regale you with my thoughts one final time. I have done this on many occasions: when an assignment loomed near enough to ignore, when the minds of the youth were in need of nutrition, when I felt your spirit waning, when the grapes drooped down and shaded me from Helios himself, when a great travesty was committed against us. But alas, now I come to you as I have read the words which have drifted so sweetly from your minds, onto paper, and into my mind. And I am eternally grateful.
It is truly an honor to read your words of admiration, for it seems that I have succeeded in my mission. I once too was a starry-eyed freshman who wondered what magic lay behind banana leaves. I too stood awkwardly in the corner until someone invited me to play. I too swayed side to side and thought to myself “These dancers are insane!” And I too hoped into the car of someone I barely knew to be shown the glories of the lands beyond our ivory tower.
You may not have known as you lived your beautiful lives this past year, but to have been able to give you all even an inkling of the magic I experienced at the hands of the club has been the greatest honor which I could ever receive. It would have been enough to make even one of you consider that life and love are found in moments of laughter in the mud despite the watchers. It would have been enough to have a few friends over for dinner and raise our fists in anger as the university spends its money on frivolous things. It would have been enough to see the face of one person change from apprehension to pleasure as they entered the world of Lord Alice Lewis. It would have been enough to have a circle of more people than we had chairs celebrating all the holidays together. It would have been enough to get you all Austin so that we could juggle the weekend away. And it would have been enough to eat a peach from the hand of my successor.
But I got it all and more. For that, I truly am grateful.
So I raise my voice once more! Listen to me speak one final time! I have gathered your attention for many reasons before, but this may be the most important of all: The show must go on!
You have some strong leaders among you, and you may even be said leaders, but you must all work together. Tulane is not nearly absurd enough yet, and it likely never will be. Say hi to everyone who shows their face, and hang out with anyone you think you might enjoy. Community building is a service which pays a thousandfold in love and home. Anyone who looks as though they need a friend, needs a chance to throw some balls. Anyone who opens up their arms, deserves the biggest hug you’ve ever given. Anyone who shows their face deserves your attention and respect.
Never stop building this community, never stop leading with peace and love, and never stop breaking down your notions of what is important.
Always be as strange as you want to be, always seek discomfort, and always smile through it.
I could ramble forever, calling you to carry this glorious torch, but I will leave you with a poem that you may now approach:
The club will surly grow and change
I may even gripe myself
Though as long as you exchange
hands of peace and hearts of help
You’re doing right by all the thinkers
Who don’t belong in rigid structures
Give them the chance to gently tinker
With how to love one another
You take care of your self
When you extend your hand to others
When you falter in your health
Or when you need a simple mother
There will be the seeds of love
nurtured by your sweet, sweet hugs.
Your loving and democratically impeached friend,
Julian