A Great Motivator

"I want more. This is publishable, Scott. Really."

This is a direct quote from the facebook of the friend I have to mention today. I've toyed with how to best characterize her. I made one attempt, and, to be quite honest, it wasn't very good. She's a highly dynamic personality. She has the a rich sense of kindness and sensitivity of feelings. On the one hand, she's can be a real straight shooter. My original thought was to talk about how her no-nonsense attitude had been a huge help to me. It has. There were times when I was a full-time LDS Missionary where hearing her voice in my head was exceptionally helpful to me. This friend is not a fan of quitting or quitters. There were days I wanted to quit. I knew, however that she (and others, but I often heard her voice) would have none of it. This chica would have you reach your maximum potential, and not be annoying about it in the process.

She's also not at all a hypocrite. Some people expect you to do big things, but settle for small things themselves. Her life leads a direction that is quite the contrary. This is a girl with a crazy good work ethic, and excellent study habits. Some people get good grades because they're at the right place, taking the right easy classes from the right teacher at the right time. I was kind of one of those people. This girl was a straight A Student who took some of the hardest classes presented to her, and nailed them. Oh, and she graduated early... after skipping a grade. Yessir, at the ripe old age of 17 she was moving on to bigger and better college experiences. For perspective sake, I am going to be 22 in a couple months and have less than a semester under my belt. She's got a 5 year lead on me in that respect.

In addition to the brains we've established, it's also necessary to point out a couple of other characteristics. The first is that she is quicker to forgive than to anger. In the earlier days of our friendship, I was the victim of her wrath from time to time, as she was the victim of mine. Good people sometimes say things they don't mean, but good friends let those things go. I have said things to her that were very hurtful. Things that for months later would haunt me and make me wonder what could have caused those things to slip my lips. However, she forgives. Really quickly. From what she tells me, she can pretty much just take a nap, and *Poof!* the fight is done. How many people can do that? How many WOMEN can do that? As the ever wise Marge Simpson said to her own daughter in a fit of rage, "Don't worry Lisa, you're a woman, you can hold on to that anger forever!" This helped Lisa to be calm at the moment, and save the beat down for a later day. That's kind of the opposite of what this friend's deal is. She lets it go. Maybe it's just because she forgets, but maybe it's just because life has taught her that it's too short to spend time hating anyone.

So, let's add up here. Smart. Motivated. Girl. I have to admit she's occasionally on the spazzy-hilarious side. Speaks her mind. Forgiving. With that said, and with some greater thought than my last attempt, I give you the experience we shared.

On a spring day, earlier this year, this friend consented to go with me to Salt Lake. It was a date, I think. But it wasn't like, you know, that kind of date. It was like, I was going to SLC, wanted to see my missionary trainer, his wife and their baby. She came, and was great conversation the whole time. As usual. She laughs with a Mirth that can light up a room. It can also make passers by think she has had too much to drink. So we had a great time, ate some rice bowls, and ice cream, and it was delightful. The thing that really struck a chord with me is something we talked about on the way home.

She talked about how what she'd thought about studying, and told me how she'd ended up with Elementary Education. That everything pieced together in such a way that this was her destiny. Now that's pretty neat. But that discussion led to another thing, something that is among her greatest ambitions. She wants to be a Mother. She gets what that sacrifice entails. Like most people, she has a mother. She has a good one. One who taught are elementary school. Now I don't know much (and by much I mean anything) of the childhood of my Mrs. Friend's-mom. What I know about the youth of my friend is that she's a great singer (a soloist for a very touching piece by Eric Clapton) actress (placed 2nd in a good sized drama compitition), pianist (thanks for teaching me middle C. It's all grown from there!) , and has ambitions to do many great and marvelous things. She could do anything. She is willing to sacrifice, or just reroute all of those things to be a mother. If every Mom was cut from this kind of fabric, they world would be a better place. This one is for a memory with a future.

-Scotty