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Superior residents attend a workshop on time at the Superior Public Library. Mila Besich Lira | Superior Sun
By Mila Besich Lira
Superior Sun
In today’s lifestyle, we live busy lives often bouncing from one activity to the next, our cars, and electronic devices help to speed us along faster than any generation before. A life where time seems to move faster and faster each year, however, have you ever asked yourself what does time mean to you? Is time just a tool we use to conduct our work and create success, is time more of a precious commodity that we monitor closely and use it to spend time with those we love? Is time really infinite and no matter what your beliefs are, will time continue on long after you stop breathing?
That was a discussion that 25 Superiorites had recently when Dr. Joaquin Trujillo presented his first article for his study on everyday meaning in small town America. His first article is titled: The Everyday Comprehension of Death and its Potentiality for Meaningfulness. Trujillo explained that his analysis yielded three observations. “The common tendency to reject death appears to be grounded in the affirmation of life as much if not more than the flight from death,” said Trujillo. “Although the affirmation of life appears to underlie the everyday rejection of death, it also alienates us from basic elements of life, including the body, our primary relation with the world, and our given task and responsibility to be. Also, insofar as we reject death as a meaning-generating function and essential characteristic of human life, we tend to dehumanize others, dislocate our comprehension of existence, and diminish life’s potentiality for meaningfulness.” Trujillo is preparing to submit the paper to a peer-reviewed academic journal for publication.
Trujillo began his research in late 2010 and early 2011, he interviewed 39 residents of Superior about their beliefs on time, death and nothingness. These initial interviews will be part of a more inclusive ethnography of everyday meaning in small town America. Trujillo initially found Superior while motorcycling through the area in 2009 while on a leave from service with the United States State Department. To conduct his research Trujillo moved into the community and immersed himself in the life of the community, hiring a local residents to assist him with the facilitating the research needed to prepare this project.
The presentation was coordinated with the assistance of Superior Library Director, Josie Campos, and Library Assistant, Tony Solis. During the presentation Dr. Trujillo thanked Superiorites for their support completing the research and expressed special thanks to Mila Besich-Lira, JoAnn Besich, Anthony Acosta, and Leslie Martin for facilitating the interviews. This paper represented the first part of Dr. Trujillo’s Superior Research Project studying everyday meaning in small town American life.
During his presentation Dr. Trujillo also commented on the improvements he has seen in the community since he first encountered Superior in 2009.
Mila Besich is a resident of Superior with two children. She volunteers for many local organizations. She is an experienced fundraiser and event planner for Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition. She covers some of the area town councils and schools.
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