What felt like an impossible dream for so many years came true on October 6, 2021. I successfully defended my dissertation, “Stories at the Intersection of Language and Linguistic Literatures Through Wildness, Beauty, and Imagination: A Scholarly Personal Narrative.”
The journey of the past four years of coursework and dissertation writing held many explorations, discoveries, dear new friends, amazing ideas, unexpected challenges, and all else that composes life.
My inquiry focused on stories at the intersection of language and landscape through wildness, beauty, and imagination.
The whole experience of the defense was was so much more than I ever let myself hope for or dream. A truly joyous experience! I remain forever grateful to my phenomenal dissertation committee: May Elawar, PhD; Jennifer Wells, PhD; and Luci Tapahonso, Professor Emerita. A recording of my defense here:
The marvelous word for dissertation in Costa Rica—chifladura—expresses a powerful vortex of the coming together of natural powers and energies. This symbolizes my dissertation experience exquisitely.
After my defense, Mom and I cried… beyond words to be able to share this with her 30 years after her own dissertation defense. Dr. Wink squared celebrated in fine form on the swings!
And, I promise to take this t-shirt off someday…maybe…I’ll think about it…
Dawn Wink: Dewdrops 
November 3, 2021 at 6:04 am
Dear Dawn….er, ah, excuse me…Dr. Wink,
I can hardly believe all you have accomplished in the last few years. The challenges and your triumphs are simply amazing! I am so proud of you….YOU DID IT!!! Also, I am grateful for your wonderful family. I know their support and love have helped you to stay “in the race.” You are all amazing and I am so happy for you. My most sincere congratulations on this auspicious occasion. Now, just try to sleep late once in a while….when you come down from that cloud! Much love to you and yours, Rhoda
November 3, 2021 at 1:31 pm
as much as we strong arm
the ingredients to co-form to a recognizable patty
what drives us others to delightfulness and leaves us awestruck and batty
is her charm;
because through sleep or wake
dawn always comes,
for she cannot take
a day off, from all that is the her, of how she runs :
: in the morning coming i know that somewhere
out there,
dawn, she winks,
and it is for herself and us all, both for you and me too,
that we may connect through the infinite space between,
through languages both recognized and unseen
humbly urs across all the vastness, TMB
October 27, 2021 at 3:22 pm
Dawn, What a long, creative and meaningful journey. I never realized a dissertation could be magical, but yours is. Congratulations.
October 25, 2021 at 5:55 pm
Congratulations, Dr. Wink. What a beautiful defense. May God bless your work.
October 25, 2021 at 6:39 pm
Oh, Carmen—this means so very much to me. Thank you and thank you. Ever so much love, Dawn ❤️
October 25, 2021 at 5:06 am
light coming reigns over darkest nights into dawn,
now words medicine doctor of dew drops dancing them into the landscape of morn
at the confluence of medicine
and win
came to doc..k,
yes, ’tis ok;
to drop the oh ‘n say,
at the coming of morn ~
from four directions, she was born,
this, this forming you,
this inspiration who
is the landscape greeter,
medicine words seeper,
doctor dawn :
: congratulations from the far reaches of the universe now doc,
k?
with each sunrise as you keep penning a way,
by dawn’s early light
so right,
in fight
to voice valence of the slight
and of the meek,
gifting penship’s speak ~
and with THIS, this doctor
drip drops proctor
& bring
the uplift of each wing,
beating powerfully swift, thirst quenched
and sustained by wrenched
sips and drips of plucked dew drops ~
raining a doctor dawn wink, no stops
most loving & monsoon style drenching, refreshing congratulations, Dr Dawn Wink !
Tanja
October 25, 2021 at 11:52 am
Dearest Tanja,
I sit in my sacred early morning darkness and candlelight and read, absorb, and treasure this beyond-beautiful gift of your poem.
I am speechless, truly.
Your poems that you bless me with carry me to my very essence, sheer spirit—a reflection of the sheer magic of your words.
I cannot thank you enough for this blessing.
Ever so much gratitude and love,
Dawn
October 25, 2021 at 12:08 pm
❤ to u Dawn
wishing upon the falling
a shooting stars' flash through these darknesses calls
in this brief season moment of autumn time,
renting, sublime :
: and while matter may forever be conserved
energies spread, unnerved …
wishing fun October clothes and close
and themed accessories; who knows,
this harvest's bounty and what not?
are spells & magic really just guidings of spirit from fall's cauldron pot?
October 25, 2021 at 12:13 pm
Oh, Tanja…the sheer magic of your words envelopes and infuses me in the early morning darkness ❤️
October 24, 2021 at 9:13 pm
Congratulations, Dr. Wink!!!! You are a marvel!!
What an incredible contribution you have made, Dawn. So relevant and so original. Your presentation was beautiful, thought-provoking, inspiring…an absolute delight! There were dozens of ideas I can’t wait to follow-up on with more reading, but most of all, I CAN’T WAIT TO READ YOUR NARRATIVES.
I’m beyond happy for you.
Sending big, congratulatory hugs from Toronto,
Love Gina
October 25, 2021 at 11:41 am
Dear Gina!! Oh, thank you, thank you so very much for all here! I am so grateful that you watched the video and we could share this. I CAN’T WAIT TO GET THOSE NARRATIVES PUBLISHED AND SO CAN SHARE WITH YOU. 🙂
Here’s to sharing our journeys, dearest Gina.
So very grateful.
Much love,
Dawn
October 24, 2021 at 7:25 pm
Dawn, I cannot imagine the boulders and mountains you moved to make this possible. May your stand in the beauty of this light for months to come. Congratulations seem inadequate; may your joy be uncontained.
October 25, 2021 at 11:37 am
Dearest Pat, thank you ever so much for taking the time to connect on all here. Oh, do I love and miss you! “May you stand in the beauty of this light for months to come”—your poetic spirit and essence shine through in all here. What a gift to receive.
Ever so much love to you,
Dawn
October 24, 2021 at 6:07 pm
Congratulations, Dawn! Connie Austin
On Sun, Oct 24, 2021 at 4:59 AM Dawn Wink: Dewdrops wrote:
> Dawn Wink posted: ” What felt like an impossible dream for so many years > came true on October 6, 2021. I successfully defended my dissertation, > “Stories at the Intersection of Language and Linguistic Literatures Through > Wildness, Beauty, and Imagination: A Scholarly Person” >
October 25, 2021 at 11:36 am
Thank you, thank you, dear Connie! xoxo
October 24, 2021 at 4:35 pm
I’m so proud of you! To hear your committee lavish praise and commend you on everything? Wow – I am so glad I got to witness your defense. And don’t take that t-shirt off until it’s in tatters!
For months after mine, I felt lighter, almost naked not having the experience ahead of me, hanging like an enormous (but so worthwhile) burden from my being. To this day I remember the satisfaction, the relief, the disbelief that I’d done it, it was over and accomplished. And I wandered (metaphorically) from thing to thing wondering what to do with all the time and energy that had been devoted to the work. Take the time now to revel in your work, your accomplishment – your time.
And to see that piece of stained glass in this post? Wow. Marie
>
October 25, 2021 at 11:35 am
Dearest Marie,
Thank you ever so much for sharing this with me. Shirt still on! 🙂
Oh, that feeling of relief/disbelief so resonates with me. I find myself experiencing waves of sheer disbelief and a sense of, “I can’t believe that I actually did it.” There were so many years leading up to my even applying to the program where it just felt like the impossible dream. Then, there’s the intensity of the actual program/writing itself. So I swing back and forth between disbelief and feeling pretty. damn. good. Yes, yes, yes, the gift of TIME now. I am still reveling in this. I’m also very big into naps!
Such a gift to share this with you and of course your stained glass had to be present in this journey.
Much love,
Dawn
October 24, 2021 at 3:13 pm
Beautiful! Congratulations!!!
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________________________________
October 25, 2021 at 11:21 am
Dear Christe, thank you ever so much!!
October 24, 2021 at 2:58 pm
I am so proud of you…throughout the last twenty+ years of friendship I’ve watched you prepare, develop, execute and absolutely hold fiercely to this dream. Now can we please play? Love you lots.
October 25, 2021 at 11:20 am
Yaya, thank you so very much for sharing every single step of the way along our 20+ year journey! Yes, let’s play!! Love you, Yaya.
October 24, 2021 at 1:37 pm
What an incredible accomplishment, Dr. Wink! So happy for you!
Sending lots of hugs! ☺️🤗🤗🤗
October 24, 2021 at 1:46 pm
Sue, thank you so very much for taking the time to connect and sharing the whole of the journey! 🦋🌹😘
October 24, 2021 at 1:08 pm
Congratulations!
October 24, 2021 at 1:10 pm
Emanuel, throughout this journey I have loved the beauty that you share in your blog! So sorry that I haven’t been good about connecting. Please know what a bright light of inspiration and beauty your work has been and continues to be!✨🌿🖌
October 24, 2021 at 1:19 pm
Thank you so much for your lovely and kind words, Dawn. They are much appreciated. Connections are so full of mystery, aren’t they? When we connect with others without them knowing it, it’s still a connection but it’s so much more powerful when it’s received and acknowledged. However, it’s a gift of the soul when we trust that those who care about us in any way, do think of us, even when in silence and unspoken our thoughts are with others.
Good luck wherever your journey now takes you and know that I, too, am inspired by your work and your being.
October 24, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Dawn, Congratulations on a journey well done!
October 24, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Bill, thank you ever so much! Deep gratitude!✨🌿
October 24, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Huge congratulations, new Dr Wink!!!!! You are an inspiration! Thank for sharing moments from your amazing life. Love the interactions with your mother, too. Peggy Hanson
October 24, 2021 at 1:12 pm
Dear Peggy, how wonderful to hear from you! Thanks ever so much for taking the time to connect with all here. ❤️ Much love to you!
October 24, 2021 at 11:55 am
Proof of your dissertation, that through all the incredible challenges of the past few years that you’ve had personally and within the community and world at large, one can emerge more whole and joyous. Well done, Dawn. Savor this for a long time.
October 24, 2021 at 12:24 pm
Patty, thanks so very much for taking the time to connect on all here. Means so very much to me. Very grateful to share the whole of the journey with you. XOXO
November 3, 2021 at 1:55 pm
harpur rites and rights
savor
is the flavor
spreading
the seed bomb landings of her tedding
from the creek of the four graves, eternally revisiting in ongoing insights
of story telling powers in restorative rites and rights?
TMB