As we gather for Thanksgiving, I reflect on the Marianist characteristic that has shaped my experience here most at Chaminade University: Family spirit.

A family, as we know, can be beautiful, messy, complicated and real. However, every Marianist community accepts each member the way a family accepts their own, imperfectly, patiently and with a commitment to stay connected.

That feels especially important today now that we live in a world shaped by what people often call a “cancel culture.” If we see something we don’t agree with, we unfollow. If someone says something we don’t like, we block them. We shut down conversations instead of staying curious.

But the Marianist way, the family spirit way, calls us to do something harder and far more meaningful: to stay at the table. Not because

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