A Flowered Card

I sat on a ribbed floral couch, sandals deep in burnt orange carpet. It was dark in the room, not because the curtains were closed, but because the walls were boarded in the pre-2000s style. Next to me sat *Carol, my companion, in a red blouse and black cardigan, chatting. On the swivel recliner across the room sat *Julie, an older lady with curly white hair trimmed to her scalp and a red striped shirt. She rarely smiled, rarely talked. When she did talk, her voice was soft but forceful. Her eyebrows were constantly pulled together as if in impatience.

As Carol talked to Julie about vacations, volunteering, and the return of Carol’s son from Singapore, I thought of the first memories I had of Julie. Most were at church, one over the phone, and the visits Carol and I made.

At church, as she conducted the last hour, she was to-the-point, never gracing us with her smile, never making a mistake. She looked into the eyes of many women, making notes with her fine tipped pen, and speaking softly into the microphone. I was intimidated by her grace and style.

Over the phone when I would tell her we could come visit her in the evenings once a month, she told me plainly that evenings were difficult, but that she would allow it. To my apology, she would retort, “Well, I don’t like it, but it works.” I would hang up, blushing in embarrassment. Carol would comfort saying, “You know how Julie is.”

The visits Carol and I made were much the same. Julie would listen with rapt attention, rocking on her chair, rarely smiling, and offered her hasty opinion whenever there was silence. Thirty minutes on Julie’s flowered couch always felt like a very long time.

One day, I was surprised to find a flowered card from Julie in my mail box. When opened, I read her cursive script. She told me of her appreciation of my service in church, and that she had noticed my efforts. She said she looked forward to visits from me and wished me the best.

I was astounded. In my mind, Julie was not a person who wrote kind words on a flowered card. She was not a person who would notice the small doings of others, and compliment them for it. I was pleasantly astounded.

That card made me discover something that many people before me have already realized. People are not to be judged harshly based on a few encounters or memories. There is so much more to people than we know, and I am embarrassed that I had to learn this lesson yet again, at the fault of my own.

I was completely touched by Julie’s card, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. There the opportunity to be good is in everyone, and people choose that opportunity more often than we expect. I hope I can be one of those people, and follow the touching example of Julie.

*names have been changed

The Good List (No. 02)

Weekend Getaways. A couple weeks ago, my husband and I stole away to St. George with my family for a much needed getaway. We hiked The Narrows and Kanarraville Falls. Absolutely beautiful. Among our other activities: swimming, eating Twinkies, eating at Subway 2 (!) times in a row, and visiting the St. George Temple.

Warm Summer Nights. Often, I still grab a jacket while going out the door, out of habit for Utah’s predictably unpredictable weather. I’m pleasantly surprised to discover I don’t need it most nights.

White Oleander. This book, written by Janet Fitch, completely touched my soul. It follows the heart-aching story of Astrid as she experiences foster care after her poetic mother gets put in jail. Astrid learns of the harshness of the world, but also experiences love, trust, and artistic beauty. Be warned: this book is not for the faint reader.

Dunkirk. A raw, beautiful movie. I loved the lack of dialogue, the depth of character, and the knowledge of an important World War II event.

Nikki Rees. I recently discovered this Instagram fitness star, and have been enjoying following her day-to-day inspiration for working out and eating healthy. I first discovered her story here, and have been following her ever since.

What's been on your Good List?

6 Things Learned from Freshman Year

Something I'm really looking forward to in the next year is starting my Sophomore year in college studying English. I am ecstatic to be almost done with my generals and I can't wait to finally be writing English essays, reading the classics, and becoming a part of the reading and writing culture. That being said, I've thought a lot about my first year of college, starting in June of 2016. Here are 6 things I've learned from my Freshman year.

1. Life doesn't always go how you plan it. Visit my posts 10 Reasons to Get Married Early and Why Plan to read more.

2. Taking notes with a laptop and wifi connection equals loss of attention in class and ultimately low test scores, in my opinion. I found I was most successful when I took notes the old fashioned way - notebook and pen. Rewording, drawing pictures, and not being distracted by Facebook, Pinterest, or Amazon really helped a lot.

3. Studying for tests takes a lot more time than you think. I started studying for “easy” classes a week before. The “hard” classes like Organic Chemistry and Anatomy I started at least two weeks before. When I didn't follow this formula, I got low test scores and lots of regret.

4. Exercise can improve mental capacity and helped me stay awake in my classes. I ran most mornings, and lifted with my friends at the school gym once a week.

5. Making friends in all your classes is an easy way to build a support group and learn about people from all over the country (or world!).

6. High quality breaks can save your studying. Laura, my freshman mentor, told me high quality breaks can help you feel productive even though you are taking a break from studying. She suggested reading, taking a walk, or getting a drink with friends instead of sitting on social media. I tried it, and found much more fulfillment in every minute of every day.

What did you learn from your freshman year? Leave it in the comments below!