kyle holzhueter's response

[simm...@luther.edu]

Hi, folks.
Kyle sent us this response to some previously drafted questions.
kent

1) what, if anything, did i learn regarding my living and my vocations as
a result of
participating in this gathering?

2) what, if any, advice might i suggest regarding vocation and living for
others [as a result of this gathering]?

3) what seems to me good and best about the gathering? how might the
gathering have been improved?

(1) Participating in the philosophy alumni gathering reconfirmed thoughts
I had regarding living, my vocation, and the role of my education on my
life and vocation. After graduating from high school and a period of
intense spiritual seeking, I was disenfranchised from popular culture and
wanted to live in an intentional community living off the land. My
parents strongly encouraged me to attend college and said that I could
always drop out if I didn’t like school. I enrolled at Luther College and
took ‘Introduction to the Bible” with Dr. Richard Simon Hanson my first
semester. Although I wanted to leave Luther that first year,
intellectually and spiritually I flourished in his class. Dr. Hanson
provided an alternative view of Christianity and intellectually and
spiritually met me where I was at. My second semester I had my first
philosophy course with Dr. Kent Simmonds. Dr. Simmonds’ classes were not
structured in the traditional, hierarchical teacher-centered approach, but
were rather student-centered and non-hierarchical. Dr. Simmonds provided
a space where truth was paramount and all members of the classroom,
professor and students alike, were understood to have equal access to
truth.

After two years of schooling and living in dormitories, I was ready to
drop out of school. The summer after my second year of college was
rehabilitative and confirmed my thoughts to leave Luther. Between my
second and third years at Luther, Dr. Simmonds offered me a room in his
home. I lived with Dr. Simmonds, his wife Lynne, and their dog Bear
during my third and fourth years at Luther. Dr. Simmonds became a close
friend and mentor. Without his help and friendship I may not have
finished college.

After having graduated from Luther and having worked for several years to
pay off my student loans, I found myself having thoughts similar to those
I had before enrolling at Luther. I still wanted to live off of the land
within a close knit community, but found myself lacking the skills to do
so.

My father left his parents’ farm in southern Wisconsin, studied
mathematics and secondary education in college, and took a job teaching
high school math in Madison, WI. My mother’s parents were farmers and
masons, but she elected for an urban, professional life. I was raised in
a middle-class, suburban home and schooled for 13 years in public schools
in Madison, and for four years at Luther College. I won numerous awards
and honors for extracurricular and academic achievements, but was still
agriculturally and mechanically illiterate at age 22. Neither
agricultural nor industrial arts classes were a significant part of my
public or liberal arts education. Generally in public schools,
agricultural courses are only taught in rural schools and only non-college
bound students take industrial arts classes. I was being groomed for
college and graduate school. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent
preparing me to become part of the economic elite. I was expected to earn
a salary and depend on others to supply my basic needs and luxuries.

For several years I worked on numerous farms, lived in various intentional
communities, learned new skills, and gained valuable experience. My
passions became growing food, raising animals, putting up food, and living
simply. I longed to share those passions with others deprived of the
opportunity to participate in a simple life.

In order to gain more skills, knowledge, and credentials to share these
passions, I chose to attend one of most practical graduate programs I
could find, the Master of Science in Sustainable Systems program at
Slippery Rock University, a small Pennsylvania state university.

Now nearing the end of my graduate studies, I see that I need to gain more
building skills. Building skills and knowledge are important in farming
and life. Building and maintaining structures is a vital part of
practical farming and economical living. I expect to dedicate myself to
developing these skills and experiences this fall.

In retrospect, I wish that my suburban childhood and 17 years of public
and liberal arts schooling would have taught me some of the agricultural
and industrial skills I’ve been learning the past six years. I wonder how
much happier and healthier our nation and earth could be if we taught our
youth basic skills in simple living.

(2) Following from part (1), I suggest that agricultural and industrial
instruction, and simple living skills, be fundamental to primary,
secondary, and liberal arts education. At the very least, schools should
be involved in growing and raising some portion of the food consumed by
their students, providing some portion of the resources consumed by their
classrooms, and building the structures that will house classrooms and
students.

Regarding discerning one’s vocation, I recommend spiritual practice in the
tradition of Eckhart Tolle. Since I find myself unable to articulate the
way as clearly as he does, I’ll simply provide the titles of two of his
books:
“The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment”
“A New Earth: Awaking to Your Life’s Purpose”

(3) Would it have been possible to have conducted more sessions in the
manner the last session was conducted, that is, in the fashion of the
Friends’ meeting for worship? Could silence begin and end each session?

[Ihrke, Ryan James]

There was some talk at our gathering about sharing contact information. Was this going to happen through Luther, or would it be just as easy to do it over e-mail for those who want to?

The reason I am inquiring is because I am burying a treasure for everyone who attended the conference. Burying treasure is sort of a hobby of mine. I forgot to mention that in my introduction. So, if you are interested, send me your address so I can post you a treasure map when I am done.

I finished up all my final requirments for my Master's on Friday!

Hope all is well,
Ryan

[John Piller]

Ryan,

Congratulations on the Masters work.
I thought something would come from Luther, but if not my address is
johnp...@earthlink.net.
Treasure, eh (or should I say "ahr"?). Cool.
I hope all is well with you.

Best,

John

> [Original Message]
> From: Ihrke, Ryan James <ryan....@mnsu.edu>
> To: <philosophy...@googlegroups.com>
> Cc: <barc...@luther.edu>
> Date: 7/31/2006 6:26:10 PM
> Subject: Collecting addreses

[Ihrke, Ryan James]

John, thanks for the prompt reply. I should have been more clear. I usually only send my maps through the postal service. My own little effort to keep something in my life out of the digital world. So, if you feel comfortable with sending your postal address, you will be certain to get a map. Otherwise, no guarantees as my scanner access is limited.
Ryan

[John Piller]

Ryan,

Oh, snail mail. I've heard of it...
And I have an "actual" address:
John Piller
317 Starcrest Road
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Best,

John

> [Original Message]
> From: Ihrke, Ryan James <ryan....@mnsu.edu>
> To: <philosophy...@googlegroups.com>

> Date: 7/31/2006 6:54:19 PM
> Subject: RE: Collecting addresses

[Kari]

HI Ryan!

Good work on finishing your Masters. I would love a map. My address
is:
4041 43rd Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55406

You sure are a funny fella. It was nice to meet you.

Hi John. It was nice to meet you too. We didn't get any alone time
conversation - probably because we have so much in common.

Kari

[simm...@luther.edu]

Thank you, so much, ryan for attending to this. by now i presume you have
received the letter i sent with addresses included. i am just now
returned from our travels west. how delightful to have your message at
the top of my inbox. and thank you especially as well for all your
presence at our gathering. i am delighted by you and look forward to more
opportunities for visiting. may your m.a. provide additional openings for
your serving. whatever you do, i know it will be done well and lovingly.
be well,
kent

[simm...@luther.edu]

thanks, john.
not surprising to me, you predicted accurately what would come from
luther. i presume by now that you have received the letter with the
attached list of persons attending.
please excuse the delay in my personal thanks to you for your impressive
and important presence among us. i'm grateful to you for your curiosity
and the inquiries you provided, especially in our earlier sessions. i am
so grateful to you for your participating in the gathering. and i am
very pleased to have this memory of you restored and developed. there's
a great deal more i want to know regarding the details of your journey
through academe to greater freedom and service. this by itself deserves
another gathering.
peace to you and thanks,
kent

[Ihrke, Ryan James]

Yep, i have everyone's address and am in the process of creating the treasure. Look forsomething in your postal mail sometime in September!
Ryan

-----Original Message-----
From: philosophy...@googlegroups.com on behalf of simm...@luther.edu
Sent: Thu 8/17/2006 3:42 PM
To: philosophy...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Collecting addreses