Life- It can take you to the mountains of ecstasy and plunge you into the caverns of gloom. It is that which must be lived now, for there are no second chances at living. It is that ·which must be carefully thought OUI, for as Socrates said, "The unexamined life isn't worth living." Life is the way we exist. It is Ihe pro::reator and the result of love. Christ died that we might have it more abundantly. But the term "life" lOok on new meaning in the Haridng contexl. Students were dropped into a new environment with new ru les and expectations. This lIunreal, sheltered environment" as it was sometimes referred to, was nonethe-less almost the totality of experience for four or five years. This "life" called each to different decisions and actions. A great deal of structure was concomitant with attendance at Harding. Chapel called weary revelers out of bed every day by nine o'clock a.m. The peals of the bells in the tower warned all late chickees to scurry home lest they spend an inordinate amount of time locked in their rooms. The cafeteria hours, duly posted and enforced threatened hun g ry stomachs with starvation should they fail to alot appropriate meal times. But midst the schedu les and requiremenrs, there were opportunities for developing personal lifestyles. From the disciplined few who studied regularly and retired early to the light heaned who skipped out for cokes. checked mail twenty Limes on any pretext at all, and journeyed to Little Rock for fun and frolics, the lifestyles were woven together intI?- the collective entity called "life... "Life" changes from year to year. While some events may be traditional, they still evolve to reflect the spirit of that particular year. Everyone knew Spri ng Sing would come, but the sheer extravanganza that it was shocked and delighted audiences. Mount Benson, featured and presented for the last three years, still held mysteries to intrigue and inspire wonder. Dramatic productions were a fixture, yet this year, the Homecoming play was a Shakespearian adaptation instead of a bona fide musical. Life reflects not only these changes, but the traditions that built them. And upon these traditions are erected traditions to be. Life for some at Harding was spent in Florence, ftaly. So the Petit Jean accompanied those se lect few to the far-away points of Europe. Homecoming called many University graduates as well as those who were sentimentally attached to the words "Harding College" back to campus and changed life for a weekend. Major events like the Chora l Festival are given their due in Life, but the lit - tle things that truly made up "life"; entenainmcnr, vacationing, studying, and playing; are the essence of Life. - Jimmy Allen, Melanie McMillen 15 Life Introduction
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