This is not…

In 1928-29 the French artist René Magritte created an influential oil painting of an everyday cultural object: A brown and black smoker’s pipe. Below the image he wrote in mischievous cursive, “C’est ne pas une pipe.” This is not a pipe.

So, what is it?

Well, to be precise, the image of a pipe, not a pipe itself.

And also the symbol of a pipe, with whatever meanings it may convey.

 

I’ll let you ruminate on that and use Magritte’s painting to introduce another evocative work of art, this one of Franklin & Marshall student-athlete Alexa Barbush ’13 diving after a loose ball.

Look at her headlong pursuit. Look at the intensity in her eyes. Look at her body control: She’s levitating.

This is not a basketball.

So, what is it?

Well, anyone who has watched Alexa play knows that she pursues every aspect of the game with grit. So, this is not simply an orange leather orb inflated with air. This is one possession in a contest we hope to win. This is playing our hardest, whatever the score. This is Alexa herself; becoming herself, sharing herself, through an activity she truly loves.

This is not a basketball.

This is gender roles in antiquity, this is Higgs Boson, this is K-12 charter schools—the dimensions of which will be chased after passionately by scholars of all ages this semester.

This is not a basketball.

This is a genetic disease whose mutation can be found. This is the role of love in the construction of identity. This is studying religions and cultures with those from different religions and cultures, and then finding the similarities between them. Thoughts—long and sublime—that enlarge the minds that find them.

This is not a basketball.

This is a well-choreographed dance. This is an effective sustainability master plan. This is a carefully-built College House community. This is work that requires a community and commitments we make to each other.

This is not a basketball.

This is a quest. Each of us should have one. And, oh yes, take one more look at airborne Alexa…her basketball is already out of bounds. Maybe she’ll tip it back onto the court even as she slams face-first into the stands…or maybe she’ll get it next time when she and it are back in play again…but “it” is not a basketball, and more important than winning is how we play the game.