It was a thrilling game—or so I was told. The girls’ basketball team seemed like they were hustling plenty, all of them red-faced and sweaty. I could feel the energy of the crowd around me. My RC from the Japan abroad was sitting next to me and made some offhand comment about “full-court press” I asked what that was. He laughed before dropping his smile, “seriously?” he asked. I nodded. My guess was that it was some type of coffee. Sports and me is like peanut butter and mayonnaise--you just shouldn’t put the two together. I don’t know the first thing about basketball. Well, maybe the first thing. I get that when you make a touch down it’s two points and all that. So, what was I even doing watching this game anyway?

I was in Hay Field House to support my friends’ practice. I went to Japan with three members of the women’s basketball team. I heard them plan, saw them practice, and even knew about the pick-up game they played against some tough Japanese middle-schoolers. It’s not like I haven’t had athletic friends before, but I had never been so involved in the actual practice with them before. They really valued this stuff. I couldn’t not go to their games.

See, I exercise regularly, but more to make up for the pints of ice cream that seem to disappear under my spoon while I’m watching reruns of One Tree Hill on the Soap network over break. For the first time, while watching my travelmates rise daily to train for their winter sport did I understand that physical practice includes goals of  actually getting better. This probably seems like a pretty stupid revelation to most of you. Why else would you run a mile if not to attempt to run it faster the next time? Well, how about to prove you can do it and survive! But, I value those friends, and I know they valued their practices, so I tried to value their practices by incorporating them in mine. No, you don’t see me joining basketball and hitting home runs or anything, but in the past year exercise has become all the more fulfilling as I focus on goals instead of the actual deed. I never would have learned how to better my practices had I not been open to the ways others practice.

Small potatoes, right? I like to run more. Did that change the world? No. But, progress of our practices happen every day when you truly soak in others’ practices in your community. Freshman year someone from the energy coalition happened to stop by my room and explained that my plugged in phone charger was wasting energy. I didn’t know this. I changed my practice. Is my better energy use going to change the world? Maybe. In some small way.

Here is something interesting: I recently looked through every academic major Principia has to offer and I have a close friend in nearly every single subject. Doesn’t that make it sound like I have a really good social life? Not true. It’s just that I go to a small school, and I am interconnected to a lot of diverse subjects. Think about how lucky we are to have contacts in almost every academic community sitting next to us at dinner, in our clubs, as rommmates. Last spring I gained an acute interest in insects thanks to my biology roommate. I love watching movies with my dear mass comm. friend who notices all the production detail I don’t. I owe oodles of financial advice to my econ pal. So, that’s part one of this speech: You can learn from anybody’s practices if you keep yourself open.

Here’s part two of this speech: it is just as important to share your practices as it is to take in others’. We all know what the most important thing in the world is…to us at least. I value communication and expression more than anything else in the world, so I study English and Theatre. I truly believe that watching a play, reading a short story, or writing poem can be the best thing you ever do for yourself and your community. But, I also know not everyone agrees with me on that. I used to think that I should therefore keep my own interests and practices to myself because some people are uninterested. But over time I have come to realize that keeping what you find important to yourself is more selfish than polite. I’m not saying I should force a book into the hands of friends who swear they dislike reading. I’m saying I can’t assume that no one is interested in my interests for the sake of minding my own business. I have to practice well and with an open heart so as to invite others to share my practices. What do you spend your time and energy on? You must find it valuable. It’s valuable to others too—whether they know it or not. You will never meet someone who cannot learn from you in some way.

I want to note that all I have just said is completely applicable to Christian Science. Although I do believe having a diverse community helps us best shape our practices, diversity can exist is more discrete ways in our similarities. For example, also while in Japan I had one of my greatest healing experiences of my college career. I fell ill immediately on the abroad and struggled with much discomfort all day. Of course I was praying so hard—calling on every Sunday School lesson or memorized quote I had. But I only had a complete healing the following day as I sat atop Eikando Temple with my professor. While discussing metaphysics I felt an immediate halt to the symptoms that had been harming me. I had simply hit a brick wall with my own practices, and a fresh perspective on spiritual practice inspired my healing. Additionally, now that I have experienced the value of sharing spiritual practices, I am more willing to share what I know when someone else is in need.

I know we are all familiar with Mary Baker Eddy’s line in Science and Health, “Love is never poured forth vainly.” I always picture this watering can with a heart on its side streaming fresh water into a sad brown fern. The little plant doesn’t appear to change, but little does the gardener know, it is being brought to life. Imagine how much our garden (our community) could grow if we kept pouring our nourishing practices into others—whether there appeared to be surface change or not. Imagine how much we could grow if we fully received the love constantly being poured on us.