As the calendar turns to 2025, I find myself oddly captivated by the number 25. It’s not just a marker of time or the quarter coin in your pocket; there’s a certain allure to it that tugs at the imagination.
Think about it: 25 sits at the crossroads of youth and maturity. It’s the age when many of us first truly grapple with adulthood, balancing dreams with practicality, idealism with reality. Yet it’s also an age of potential, of paths not yet chosen and adventures still to come. Across various cultures, 25 often signifies a cycle of renewal, a time to re-examine timeless questions with fresh eyes. Much like the silver anniversary that marks 25 years of marriage, it’s a milestone that gleams with both accomplishment and promise.
In the world of music, 25 keys span two octaves on a piano, encompassing a rich range of tonal possibilities. It’s as if this number offers us a metaphor for the breadth of human experience, all contained within its bounds.
Even in mathematics, 25 holds a special place. As a perfect square, it speaks to a certain completeness, a fullness of potential realized. Yet, like any number, it’s merely a waypoint in an infinite sequence, reminding us that completion is always temporary, always leading to new beginnings.
As I ponder the significance of 25, I’m struck by how it resonates with the stories in this winter issue of The York University Magazine. Within these pages, we explore diverse topics that embody
both accomplishment and potential: from how Nat Taylor’s cinema gift continues to shape our film studies, to the innovative work York alumni are doing in creative healing arts. We spotlight a York PhD recipient’s ambitious project creating human organs from stem cells in space, and trace the evolution of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Education Program as it embraces cutting-edge technologies. Each story illustrates how past contributions fuel future innovations, and how education and research continually adapt to meet changing needs and unlock new possibilities.
These narratives echo the essence of 25 – reminding us of the delicate balance between experience and potential, between what we know and what we have yet to discover. As we embark on this year, let’s celebrate our achievements while remaining open to fresh perspectives and unexpected connections. After all, isn’t that what growth is all about? ■
— Deirdre Kelly