_ John /. Radcliffe Life sometimes seemed as though each student at Harding University was a link in a never-ending chain. The steel from which each link was made came from our surroundings in life. Our lives were composed of our social club, those we sat with in chapel, organizations, our major, which cafeteria we ate in, and most importantly, our faith in Jesus Christ. These subjects are rather varied but nonetheless, they decided the thickness or thinness of the steel , and how strong or weak the link would be. The chain of 1983 was heavy, strong, tightly linked and durable through times, but it was not smoothly polished. The heaviness of the chain came from all the different backgrounds of the students. We came from different states and countries and from farms and c ities. Some of us had never seen snow before and others of us had to adjust to the Arkansas humidity. When we came together at Harding, so did all of the states and countries and farms and cities . It gave the chain versatility and we had the opportunity to hear about places that we might never have a chance to see. The strength of the chain came from our reactions to problems we faced at Harding. We came together as one every day in chapel , but we had some very trying times in 1983 that brought us even closer together. Some of our problems were temporary and merely aggravating, while others were very serious and would remain with questions in our minds for a long time to come. All of these made each individual mentally stronger and more aware of the ugliness of the world. It was during these times that we realized how tightly linked we were. We realized more than ever before how much we needed each other's attention and understanding. We began to focus on those around us, and gave each other support and a hand to hold, a warm smile, and a shoulder to cry on . The chain was durable through time because of the tight bond between its I inks. We had seen good times and bad, and we had seen them together. We also knew that there wou ld be more to come and that we would also, together, get through those. The Lord would be with us to guide our way . If one rubbed a hand over the links, he would feel bumps and scratches because the chain was not smoothly polished. The bumps and scratches represented our youth and innocence. We were learning and growing into responsible Chri stian adults. As we grew, the Lord smoothed out the bumps and scratches by rubbing his hand over the chain . He continually reassured us of His love for us and of His presence with us. As the year ended, we realized that we would not always feel the bond as we did while in school, but it would be in our memories for the rest of our lives. The chain extended around its final sidewalk in the sc hool year of 1963. May the Lord bless you and keep you.~ - Suzanne Johnston The Chain That Binds/19
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