I just can't figure this one out...

The campus is beautiful, the students are friendly, fun loving, and many work hard, the administration is genuinely concerned, our faculty and staff dedicated but....

... of late I have been concerned about the quality of our relationships, in other words how we treat one another. I am especially concerned that the quality of our student relationship rise above (way above) the level of plain old drinking buddies. If you speak to students they all value their friends, they treasure the relationships they have.

I have preached about this over and over again. I have spoken to students individually and in groups. I have gone to off campus houses and I just can't seem to communicate with adequate urgency the importance of helping each other be better people. I need to find a way.

Friends listen to each other, they are attentive to each other, they care about each other. Friendship is so much more than a group people we like to have fun with at least any worthwhile friendship is more than that. Friends lift each other up. Friends build each other up. FRIENDS MAKE EACH OTHER BETTER PEOPLE. This is so much more than a willingness to give or take a punch for a friend. When you give or take a punch for a friend you have already failed. How can we ever even let our friends get into a circumstance where punches are thrown ? How can we let our friends go down the tubes academically and say nothing or do nothing? Why do some laugh at the kid who is always drinking instead of trying to help them figure out why they are medicating themselves so much. Why do we look the other way when we see the quality of our friends' relationships is bringing them down not raising them up.

Don't get me wrong there are lots of very wonderful friendships and relationships here, it is just that when we fail each other, when we fail to step up for one another or be their for each other, things can go bad quickly.

I'm not giving up. I know we can do better and I will continue to try and find a way to get this very important point across, house by house, res hall by res hall, person by person.

Never forget the people you can really count on are the people who care about you enough to lovingly but maybe even firmly help you confront your demons.

If you have never confronted a friend about the choices they make what kind of friend are you ? If no one has ever cared enough to confront you about your weaknesses (we all have them) it is time to evaluate the quality of your friendships.

Listen to your priest we need to do better on this.

Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other. Look out for each other.

Something to think about indeed.