With Linda Mecham Fox July 9, 2012
A few months ago, I "found" Linda via facebook. We were roommates at BYU 43 years ago. We had, at first, kept in touch for a few years and then we lost each other. Via facebook I learned that she had a son living in Sumner and was planning to visit him this summer So we finally got to see each other after all these years. What a fun day we spent together!!! A BYU there were 3 roommates. JoAnn (Parry) Roberts, a returned missionary from France where she and I were companions, myself and Linda. JoAnn had aleady graduated from the University of Utah (and was a student Advisor for BYU), I was majoring in Sociology, and Linda was majoring in music. She was an amazing pianist and I loved hearing her play...or even just practicing scales, etc. !!!
It was fun to think back at who we were then, and what experiences have shaped who we have become. She had married, while at BYU, a pre-med student who became a successful doctor and then died of a brain tumor when Linda was just 45 and left her wih 5 children.
What fun memories I have of BYU. After my mission to France, I went to BYU, worked at the BYU Alumni House (with Linda) full time and went to school part time. It took a lot longer to get my education that way. I loved the culture and atmosphere of college life so I didn't mind. One summer, we roommates took a trip back east visiting most of the church history sites, New York, Washington, DC, Boston, driving further north through the New England States and up into Canada where we were able to enjoy French cuisine, hear the French language again and see a little of the French (Canadian) culture in Quebec. We loved every minute of the trip....even the car accident, the hot muggy days driving through Kansas in 100 + degree weather with no air conditoning and staying in some interesting motels.
All of this reminiscing caused me to reflect on my life. I am at that age where you do a lot of reflecting anyway. I have been very blessed. I was able to go on a mission, get an education (although, I ended up changing my major and finishing my schooling after my kids were all in school), I was taught the gospel in my home by goodly parents. I have a hard-working, patient husband, 5 great kids, and now 18 amazing grandchildren. I have been given a lot of opportunities, but also some trials. Linda and I talked about some of our trials. We determined that trials are hard because we have weaknesses. I am trying to be grateful for trials. I do, however, see where I probably will have more since trials are to teach, strengthen and to humble and I still have a long ways to go.
So, I continue to work on my weaknesses!! But, in the meantme, I am pretty content and have a lot for which to be grateful!
