A friend of mine introduced me to a new term a few weeks ago – “Nadir.” He wrote:
Last week I hit the “nadir.” That’s the word used by the nurses to describe the lowest point, seven to ten days after the chemo treatment when the body is at its lowest. Why not? As my oncologist, who doesn’t pull punches, says, “We’re putting poison into your body.” He warned me at the beginning that there would be times when I felt as though I’d gone through ten rounds with Floyd Patterson, or Ali, or Lewis…take your pick. He knows what he is talking about. Nadir comes from the Arabic, meaning the lowest point, as opposed to the zenith, the highest point.
While I might not compare the last week of the semester with chemotherapy, there is a stress and a tension in the air, that lasts mid-April through Commencement Saturday, among those on the academic and student affairs side of academia. I assume that the business office hits their tense time during audit and budget season. We all have our limits and times when our limits are tested. Our bodies have limits, our minds have limits, and our souls have limits. Whoever said, “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle,” never met some of the folks on this campus who live challenging lives with hard circumstances every day. Whether you live with financial stress, chronic physical illness, past trauma, mental illness, loneliness, or grief, stressful times make getting anything done more difficult.
The hope lies in the Zenith—those mountaintop experiences of joy and delight, celebration of achievement, and “commencement” of new life adventures. Please keep hoping for the zenith, get help if you need it (venting, walking, sleeping, healthy choices).
I am including this prayer for balance, by Susan Burke, which has graced this column before, but always speaks to me in the academic home stretch.
Lord, help me to create a balanced life.
Help me to take time to enjoy life,
to be a person full of gratitude.
Help me take time to love,
to extend my hand in service to those around me.
Lord, remind me to take time to learn,
to be disciplined and accountable.
Help me to make a difference in the
small and big moments of my life.
Lord, help me to keep smiling,
to be happy, and to try to be myself.
Lord, infuse me with your spirit
so I can create a life of balance,
moderation, and simplicity.
And whatever my challenge,
let it be an occasion to deepen my life’s purpose.
Blessings, Stephanie