I walked the path around campus lake, today.  This is something that I had not done in some time.  I had to see the, primarily bare trees of the woods, decorated for Christmas.

When I first began, my trek, I noticed the most lovely white swan.  He was sitting, so majestically and still, that I determined that I must have a photo of him/her.

As I raised my camera to take the, prized photo, an Asian couple were approaching me…and the young man was waving at me.  I proceeded to, capture, the quiet and dignified swan’s image.  When the couple reached me on the trail…the woman said that the swan was not real.  They smiled, broadly, and wished me a Merry Christmas!

The, tradition, of decorating the trees along campus lake has been occurring of several years…and it grows each year.

Our beloved university has weathered many challenges.  The minimalistic beauty and quiet solemnity of the Christmas tree decorations, that are placed on the trees by many, lovers, of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale…gives me hope for the future.

I was so pleased to hear that Dr. John Dunn has been named as the interim chancellor of our school.  I know Dr. Dunn and had many enjoyable conversations with him when he was the interim chancellor at SIU during the previous decade.

Chancellor Dunn is a fair and honest leader and he will seek input from the entire campus community.  He has an, easy, demeanor and the ability to project the worth, to the student or the staff member or the member of the faculty,  that they bring to the university family!

I was representing the civil service council during Dr. Dunn’s last interim chancellor post…and I told the president of the university that he could do no better than Dr. Dunn…and I knew what I was speaking about as I was a member of the chancellor search committee.

There is a lovely, spiritual, and community feel to the, random, Christmas decorations.  Walkers and holiday revelers and people that are connected to SIU and to the, natural, beauty that is so replete on our campus…are adding their token of love to their university!