7.45 am: Every morning, the first chore of the day: clearing-up, wiping down, and putting away:

8.15 am: A communion. Self-sacrifice and commitment to others is at the core of the calling. It’s evident in the metaphor of the ‘Good Shepherd’ (John 10.11,14). Some of my younger acquaintances who’ve gone into ministry are experiencing the implications of Christ’s example acutely. 8.45 am: At the School:

The refurbished student common room looks like a set from a Stanley Kubrick film:

9.15 am: This is my last day of the academic year for undergraduate teaching. No doubt I’ll be mopping up a few individuals next week. I settled, first, to respond to emails and review the reports that I’d written in response to the last two days’ Vocational Practice assessments. (Miles Davis’ On the Corner played in the background.) 10.00 am: No takers for the Personal Tutorial hour, although I know full-well that there’re folk out there facing huge challenges.

Some principles and observations derived from today’s engagements:

• T: ‘They are many, but one’.
• T: ‘To add will change, rather than improve, it. STOP!’
• T: ‘Is it your least favourite work, or the one that you hate most? What are you saying?’
• Continuity and consistency on the one hand; and variety and breadth on the other. These ideals and intents aren’t contradictory; they can be reconciled in the process of constructing the exhibition.
• I wish your own ambition for the work could equal mine.
• The more I do for you the less you can take credit for.
• At some point, you have to stop listening to others and be governed instead by your own convictions.
• When you lose your way, return to the intent.
• T: ‘I’d rather read 3,000 words of intelligence than 6,000 words of nonsense.’
• If the student fails then, in some measure, so did the tutor.

After this degree, the students’ lives won’t any longer be subdivided into periods defined by qualifications and school eras (GCSE, A-level, and primary and secondary school). Henceforth, the road ahead will have no markings or divisions. I found that to be a frightening prospect immediately after graduation.

1.00 pm: A treat. An indulgence. A breach of my dietary regime. ‘What were you thinking, John?’:

2.00 pm: ‘Keep going!’ (He’s a task master.) I needed to stay on top in order to ensure that the students stayed on top. I was in template mode – saying much the same thing to them all. We are like troops going into battle. Jennifer’s velveteen ruby boots. I thought of Dorothy:

5.30 pm: Complete. ‘Goodnight, Skelly’:

7.30 pm: There were a emails to read, postgraduate applications to engage, and postgraduate teaching to arrange in advance of next week.