GMH

So, a couple of complete strangers made today one of the best days I've had in a long time.

The first one was just asking for a good place on campus to do a survey, but she was super nice and I ran into her on the way to my first class and she just started off my day brightly.

The second person and I didn't talk. After my spanish class I habitually cruz over to the campus center to just sit and chill, sometimes do homework, study, read, listen to music, or just plain people watch. Today my routine was disrupted by some casino thing the student association was hosting in the campus center where you had the chance to win tickets to Disneyland resort or something. I wasn't interested and there was no place inside to sit. So I decided to stroll through to the blue tables on the other side of the building outside. I picked a semi-shady, semi-sunny spot that suited my tastes perfectly and cracked open my sister's library book that I've been trying to finish so she can take it back. Anyhow, this second stranger was maybe 8 feet away, standing on the grass by the corner pathway. He was listening to his iPod and doing these really impressive yo-yo tricks. Yes, he had a yo-yo. How awesome is that? He was really talented--must've taken a lot of practice to learn the stuff he was doing and he looked like he was only warming up. I was having a hard time focusing on my book, of course. I kept looking up, like I was hypnotized, and then I would forget the last sentence I'd read. Before I knew it, I was outright staring at him. I have no idea how much time trickled by before I realized I was staring. I also didn't realize I was staring until he noticed I was. There was a moment that felt like this complete stranger and I were the only two people on campus. And he smiled at me and made a star shape out of the string with the yo-yo part hanging pendulm style in the center. It was at this moment I realized my face hurt from smiling, which I must have been doing the whole time. It was a magical moment, that's the best I can describe it.

I was sad that the moment couldn't last, but I must admit, this third person really made my day though. Person number 3 interrupted my moment with person number 2, which I was a little disappointed about, honestly. However, it turns out person number 3, Josefina, and I talked until I had class at 1. She asked what book I was reading and after a small chat asked if I'd like to join her for bible study. I politely declined, explaining that I attend bible study at the oakbank building (one of our church buildings) across the street from the math building. In actuality, I haven't attended hardly any of their classes but this is me socially running away and hiding. It was a good excuse to not go to this foreign bible study class. But she stayed and talked with me. I told her I was LDS/mormon and a christian. She asked if I had any favorite scriptures. One of mine is D&C 25:12 which says about a "for the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me" and how I taught as primary chorister at church. She told me about her 3 kids, the oldest is 4 and named after her because it was a really hard pregnancy, her other two kids are 2 and a 6 month old who's name is Matthew (i learned this after my bro joined us). She asked about my classes. I asked if she took classes but it turns out she just comes on campus to lead bible study twice a week and while her husband teaches a political science class at APU. She's from South Korea (but I complemented her on her fabulous English and we talked about languages for a while) who moved her a little over 5 years ago and met her husband soon after. She had gotten her bachelors in South Korea before moving here. She asked my name, I told her Beth, "Elizabeth?" "No just Beth." "well that's very pretty! And you are a beautiful person." :) Josefina asked if I was 18, to which I laughed and told her I was 22. I asked her age, since she looks barely older than me, but if she had gotten her bachelor's 6 years ago and moved her and has 3 kids, I was wondering if she was also older than she looked. Josefina is 32. WOW! I thought she was 25 at the most. She asked if I was gonna go to a 4 yr university which led to us talking about UCR and about my decision to come to CC and do dental assisting. I told her how I'd prayed about it and knew God would make sure things worked out no matter my decision and how I'd done a lot of research and thinking and opinion gathering beforehand too. And once I'd made my decision I saw just how many blessings had come of it. About achieving my childhood dream, having a great job, how being called to teach the children at church has helped me, the benefits of living at home and how much my family has supported me and how I could help my brother focus more on school despite his tourette's and ADHD. She asked if there was a particular scripture that helped me and she was very excited when I felt inspired to share James 1:5 "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." My brother reminded me to check the time and we only had about 5 minutes so we decided we should head off to class. Josefina asked if she could pray with us before we headed off to class. And Matt and I can both tell you, it was one of the most sincere, beautiful, faithful prayers we have ever heard. It was about 2 minutes long, maybe. But this complete stranger, who was no longer a stranger, said the most beautiful prayer for each one of us three individually, but she prayed most for me and matt. She recalled everything I divulged in our conversation and asked Him to bless me and my family abundantly. She thanked Jesus for His sacrifice for us, for dying for each of us individually on the cross and asked that we might find the strength in Him to overcome our hardships. She asked that we might be able to share our faith in God with those we encounter. She kept thanking God for our blessings and asked that we might be faithful and serve His children with love. She asked and thanked for many more things as well. It was beautiful. Truely, truely beautiful. I wanted to cry my heart was overflowing from the love that this gorgeous person was sharing with us. Neither of us forced religion on one another but found points we agreed on and praised God as fellow christians. I can't stop smiling!

In fact, I never did notice when person number 2 left. For the first maybe 20 minutes of the conversation I glanced over at him now and then, but eventually Josefina had my total attention.

I think these strangers were able to patch a leak that's been growing in my heart and I continue to praise God today for all the blessings I have had in my life. Life is beautiful. Love is wonderful. Hope is amazing.

I can't believe how great today really was. It's hard not smile remembering it. I really hope I run into person number 2 and Josefina again sometime... I forsee sitting outside the campus center instead of inside more often henceforth. ^^

Complete strangers like the ones I ran into today GiveMeHope. <3