Kindness in Peculiar Places

I’ve procrastinated starting my blog for way too long, but today’s the day. I’m a somewhat novice blog writer, so if you’re reading this, I hope you can look past the errors and still enjoy reading.

I have so many thoughts throughout the day, and sadly, a lot of them disappear into the wasteland of my brain as other things like school, work and relationships take precedence. My goal in writing here is to preserve some of these great life moments so that I can look back on my experiences with joy.

Life is a grand occasion, and I believe we should treat it as such.

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October is in full swing here in Provo, Utah. There is a welcoming Fall breeze in the air, the leaves on the mountain have just begun to change color, and I’m up to my ears in school work (the real reason I haven’t published this yet).

May I be frank with you?

Life has always been quite busy for me, but nothing compared to the weight of these past few months. This is the hardest semester in my business program at BYU, I am working part time, newly married (to my sweet Alec <3), and homesick to name a few of the things on my mind any given day.

There have been many days lately where my long list of to do’s is the only thing between me and the dark rainy cloud shadowing over my head.

Maybe you can relate.

I recently was having one of these difficult days at school. I’d like to think I have become an expert at disguising my troubles by focusing on the task at hand, however, every now and then I feel the pressure of that heavy cloud above my head get closer and closer to me. And it is scary!

Let me be the first to say that sitting in a meeting is not the ideal place to be having one of these moments. But tears sometimes just can’t wait.

I excused myself from the meeting as I felt the emotion of this hard day swell inside me. There was no real place to escape other than the bathroom, so I quickly made my way into a back stall to try and collect myself.

My efforts were in vain and the tears kept coming. Silent tears of course, there were still people in the bathroom, and I was so embarrassed.

I felt truly alone, and so small.

Sometimes in these moments, even the Christian thought of offering a hushed prayer seems unaccommodating and distant. But I chose to offer one anyway.

I silently prayed that God would send someone to hug me. That’s it, I just needed a hug. Something I had never before prayed for.

A *long time* passed and I found myself ready to face the real world again. I made my way over to the bathroom sink and recognized a girl from my section of marketing classes and hoped she wouldn’t see my red face and puffy eyes.

To my surprise, I heard someone call me by name and say hello. It was the same girl. I didn’t even know she knew my name!

As I reluctantly looked up, she examined my current state and said one thing to me.

“Can I give you a hug?”

Without even having time to realize what she had said, she reached her arms out to hug me. You guessed it, more tears!

It was the freedom to cry aloud that I didn’t allow myself before. I sobbed as I told her this is just what I needed. Just what I had prayed for moments ago.

I write this story for two reasons. 1) God loves ALL of His children. 2) You may never know what people are really going through, but God does.

Before this experience, I had only ever had one, maybe two brief conversations with this girl. To be honest, I had even forgotten her name. But none of that mattered because she was just there for me.

Henry Eyring, a modern day apostle, once said, “when you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time.”

You truly never know what is happening behind the delicate walls of someone's home (or bathroom stall door in my case). It is our job to extend kind words, withhold judgement and display unconditional love to those around us.

My once a stranger, and now dear friend from marketing embodies this principle completely.

It is my sincere hope to someday be just like her.