Warning: this article includes topics relating to grief and loss within our community.
Saint Louis University is exceptionally beautiful in the spring. Our university prides itself on the picturesque spots on the main quad and the numerous flower spots found throughout campus. Spring brings in beautiful colors that appeal to our eyes and brighten up our days. You can’t help but long to stay outside all day and enjoy the blessings the new season brings to the community.
This spring, the tulips brought comfort to a grieving community. April 5 was a beautiful day, it had the sun shining with no clouds in the sky and flowers that were beginning to bloom, welcoming in the warm weather with hopes for spring to come. That was the day we lost Sean, a beautiful soul and an amazing athlete, teammate, brother and friend.
As the minutes, hours, days passed, I sat outside and stayed near the flowers reflecting. I would look outside the windows of my classes, unable to think and pay attention, focusing on the flowers to calm my shaking hands while I would try to type. I would thank my friends and classmates for the flowers they would bring me to ease my anxiety and take my mind off things. Flowers were piling up at his favorite spots on campus, providing a beautiful reminder for the beautiful soul that we lost so soon and so suddenly.
But flowers weren’t only things providing beauty to our tight-knit family during this time. I saw the beauty in the support everyone was giving each other. I saw the beauty in the kind, supportive notes written on the Clocktower to give passerbys a kind message. I saw the beauty in professors and university workers reaching out in every instance they could. I saw the beauty in the kind, warm-hearted messages of support the SLU swim team received from outside swim teams during our time of grief. While the blooming flowers on Saint Louis University’s campus provided beauty to the open eye, the people within our community provided the beauty that was crucial during this hard time.
It’s important to give yourself ease and grace during this time, and to give yourself the time and opportunity to notice the beauty that our campus portrays this spring. Grief is a difficult thing to navigate when you’re away from home and there is no linear path to dealing with it. Recovery and understanding takes time like how flowers take time to grow and bloom. Whether you take five minutes or a prolonged amount of time for yourself, allow yourself to find the flowers and beauty around you.
It was a blessing to laugh with Sean, to swim with Sean, to know Sean. A little part of our beauty on campus will be lost, but never forgotten. Find the beauty in the flowers and the beauty that our friend left behind.
Resources:
The University Counseling Center (UCC): You can make an appointment or reach a trained and licensed staff member 24/7 by calling 314-977-TALK (8255). Please press 9 for calls after hours to be connected with a behavioral health nurse. The UCC team recently expanded, adding new staff counselors.
The Dean of Students Office (DOS) team is always ready to help students navigate resources and offer guidance managing health and well-being. The team also partners with faculty and staff who may have concerns or questions about supporting our students. Email or call deanofstudents@slu.edu or 314-977-9378 to connect to a DOS staff member.
The Eckelkamp Center for Campus Ministry’s doors are open for those who are looking for extra support during this challenging time. Stop by their office in Wuller Hall, or reach them at 314-977-2425 or campusministry@slu.edu.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers help scheduling professional counseling for SLU employees by calling 800-859-9319. Please contact hr@slu.edu with any questions or issues.