What do you get when...

When walking across campus at BYU I walk past many many different people. From all different backgrounds, but have very similar standards and wants and desires as me. Unfortunately, we can not look eachother in the eye let alone smile at eachother. Oh Heavens! It's unheard of! There's almost an unspoken social rule of BYU campus to avoid all contact to those around you. As a student body we've had many differnt speeches and devotional talks given about being more friendly and reaching out and serving others. It's really sad that the administrators and staff have to continually remind us to be nice to others. Now, there are some people that smile at you or give you encouragement when you walk past them on campus, but as a whole we are a very isolated people here. I was greeted more warmly back home by complete strangers!

While walking across campus today I decided to smile. (It's a new goal of mine to be more friendly.) So while walking to work I passed a professor and smiled at him. He gave a very weak smile back. We both took about two steps more then he turned and asked me in a very brusk tone, "did you just smile at me?" I was taken aback. I turned and replied, "yes sir :)" and smiled again. He continued in his brusk tone, "this late in the semester during the crunch time of all your classes, you are still smiling?" "yes sir :)" "Who are you're professors they aren't working you hard enough I need to tell them to give you more work." "I could deal with that :)" I was still smiling, this was kindof amusing.

He smiled a real smile, then leaned in and asked, "What do you get when you cross a vampire and a small person?" I laughed a little but shook my head, "I don't know." . . . He paused then said the punch line: "A small little sucker ... haha!" We both laughed and he bid me a good day. I wished him well and we both continued on our way. That was a great moment. Maybe there's hope for BYU campus.

haha ... a little sucker :)