I have never been able to personally thank Anne Gardner, a student at BYU who compassionately came to my rescue on BYU campus when I was as a sophomore. I was curled up in a ball under a table just outside the Cougareat (dining area) while experiencing severe depression. I remember not knowing what to do with myself and feeling so overwhelmed that I just crawled under the table to hide from the world. Anne came over to me and asked me if I was okay. Although we had never met, she asked me if I wanted to talk. We ended up in a classroom on campus where she both listened to me and gave me encouragement. She offered me her phone number if I ever needed to call her. I'll always remember one thing she told me: "Life is a process." It's been almost 22 years since that time, but I will never forget her kind gesture, or the fact that life is indeed a process. I hope Anne somehow knows how much her kindness meant to me.Today at the gym a woman in my spin class got really emotional after class. The instructor was trying to give her advice about her form and she began to cry. It was clear that there was more going on in her life than just feeling bad about being corrected. Out in the hall, I put my arm around her and told her that I was sorry that she was going through a hard time. She looked at me and I could tell immediately that she was crying out for someone to give her encouragement. Her eyes revealed pain and she told me through tears that her husband recently left her and she didn't know what to do. She has a daughter too and she kept saying that all she had left was her daughter and her exercise time. It was so incredibly sad. I wish I would have been able to say something more encouraging than "I am so sorry," and been able to take her into a classroom like Anne Gardner did for me, and give her hope to carry on. The spin instructor came and put her arm around the young woman and so I walked away. But I haven't stopped thinking about her all day. I really hope that someone made up for what I lacked in that moment.
2 comments:
I think u did great. You reached out to her. Maybe she just couldn't take comfort in a stranger. You did a great thing and I'm sure she appreciated it.
Hi Jeni!! Oh my -- I am glad you wrote about this. Each day when I say my morning prayers and ask to be an instrument in the Lord's hands, I get a little nervous. I have had so many experiences like this one where I say something, but later play the scenario out and think of all the better things I could have said. Guess what? You are in tune and said exactly what you were supposed to at that time and place. Just think, you may get to see her again too. You are a "good do-bee" just like mom would say.
I love that you shared your "climb under the table" experience. I totally remember having one of these moments at the 2047 house under your desk in your room.
I love you =)
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