Interim Provost's Calling - February 2024

"My momma always said. 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" –Forrest Gump (And yes, I know that he's a fictional character.)

If you’re of a “certain age” reading this, you will know this reference. My 30-something-year-old daughters watched it when they were young with certain segments fast-forwarded through by their parents. I just heard from a colleague at another university that she watched it recently and can’t stop telling people at work, “And that’s all I’m gonna say about that.”

The box of chocolates analogy sticks with me. Although I was the kind of kid who would take a bite of a filled chocolate, make a face if I didn’t like it, and wish I could return it to the box half-eaten, I forced myself to eat it instead. Sometimes I actually ended up liking it. Sometimes I ate it almost without chewing and quickly gulped milk to wash it down. Sometimes I recall actually brushing my teeth to get the taste out of my mouth.

I can apply all those metaphorical reactions to work, life, and the often-delicate balance between the two. A challenge at work usually has to be met and overcome (just eat the chocolate). A glitch in my personal life—a vacation travel delay or a rented house that wasn’t quite as advertised—requires adaptation and the proverbial glass of milk. A thing I don’t like that I can change, especially if the change only affects me, equals the teeth brushing. In other words, we can adapt our reaction to the candy filling we don’t love in a variety of ways; the trick is figuring out which response works best in any given situation.

And trying something new that turns out to be something wonderful that we love from that moment on? That’s the best outcome of all!

Photo (above) description: One of my hobbies is (amateurish) watercoloring. My 10-year-old habit is making a new little painting every week.?Last week I tried to paint a heart-shaped box of chocolates, inspired by Valentine’s Day and its connection on our campuses to kindness. In that spirit, please be especially kind to yourself and your fellow Buckeyes this month and always! #BuckeyeLove

Karla Zadnik

Interim Executive Vice President and Provost

Glenn A. Fry Professor in Optometry and Physiological Optics