Simple Pleasures.

As I slipped and slid to my class this morning at roughly 8:39 a.m., people were tumbling on all sides.

Though this isn't a totally uncommon phenomenon in Provo during the winter,

 the rate at which people were falling was . . . unusually high, 

due to a new concept to me: freezing rain.

Somehow in this silly, mixed-up brain of mine, I had gotten the crazy idea that 

"freezing rain" was more-or-less snow - but boy was I wrong.

FREEZING RAIN IS NOT SNOW.

As I watched person after person FALL FLAT on the ground, I knew 

it was only a matter of time before I was right there with them. 

When I approached the "bridge" that connects the Marriott center area to the rest of campus, 

a growing pit in my stomach told me that there was little to no hope.

 There was simply no possible way I would come out of this journey unscathed. 

The fifteen total strangers around me instantly became my dearest friends,

 as we took on what will be forever known as

 "the ramp of doom."

Slipping,

 sliding, 

squealing 

and screaming,

 together we ventured down the ramp to what we hoped would be the safety of our morning classes. 

The only possible way to do this? HOLD THE HANDRAIL.

During most of this experience, I was completely concentrated on where to "glide" next and how not to

'take a spill' as so many around me had done. 

But at one point I stopped and looked up. 

The majority of my comrades both in front and behind me were also clinging tightly to the handrail

(even though it had a solid layer of ice on it and I'm sure their hands were stinging just as severely as mine). 

And in that moment: The symbolism struck me.

"Hold to the rod!" I laughed and said to the guy behind me.

He didn't laugh.

He didn't smile.

Maybe he didn't hear me...?

Hahaha. It doesn't matter. I thought it was hilarious, and I still do.

In fact, I thought it was SO funny that I took a picture, and then added a caption, and then posted it to the BYU MEMES facebook page and it is now a VIRAL SENSATION. haha (okay maybe I'm being dramatic but...)

(Roughly 4 hours after being posted - 1,640 likes and counting!)

Sometimes, it's the little pleasures :) 

...and the fact that I actually went the entire day without falling. 

(Truly a miracle.) 

Oh what a life I live! 

PS Facebook is basically exploding with videos of BYU students "skating" to class today, so here are just a couple:

Sadly, my favorite video (of a BYU student who went to the thrift store and bought ice skates and then literally skated around on the sidewalk!) is only on facebook so I can't post it here.

PPS For any of you not familiar with the expression "hold to the rod" it comes from a passage in the Book of Mormon. To read the passage in 1 Nephi chapter 8 (particularly starting verse 19) click the link here.