I passed Mitch on the lower floor of the library. He was slouched down in his chair, camera hanging around his neck as he stared off at…well…I’m not sure what he was staring off at. I walked past him, paused and turned around to talk to him.

Turns out Mitch is in a photography class and was apparently lacking inspiration (when I asked if I could take his picture he said yes, but only if he could take mine. Anyone wanting to use me as a muse has to be desperate). He said he’d write in my journal, but that he only had a short time. He wasn’t kidding. This is by far the shortest entry to date. Despite being so short I have to admit that I think it’s one of the most intriguing because it leaves so many questions unanswered.

My name is Mitch.

I was born in Wisconsin and adopted into a family in Utah, I like it here.

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I met Ethan while strolling along BYU’s campus. I was hoping to find someone there because it seems like a campus would be a great place to meet diverse people with different backgrounds. Sure enough, Ethan fits the bill. As we passed each other in the quad, he wearing a kilt and aviator glasses, Ethan offered me a sincere “Hello”.

Now, BYU’s campus is probably one of the friendlier places on earth (neigh unto Disneyland) and it isn’t uncommon for people to say hi to strangers in passing. But something about Ethan struck me so I pulled a u-turn and caught up with him. He agreed to write in my journal and here’s what he had to say:

My nam is Ethan Unklesby and I’m a freshman at Brigham Young University. I’m from Ohio and feel out of place in Utah. I’ve always wanted to be a famous singer, but my dad doesn’t think I can make it. I really want to, just so I can show him wrong.

I love to make people smileand I hope to be able to do that through music. I’m single but I might have a thing for this incredible girl in my Latin class. I’ve never been 100% confortable and confident in myself, but I mask it pretty well. If I could tell everyone just one thing, it would be to look to Christ always. Sin happens, but he takes it away. When you are most overcome, let Him carry you.

Ethan Unklesby

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My wife, son, sister and I went home to Oregon for Thanksgiving. I absolutely love being in the house I grew up in, visiting old haunts and enjoying the general green splendor of my home state.

There are certain traditions that must be followed whenever we go home to Oregon (usually about twice a year). On is going to the Marrakesh for dinner.

The Marrakesh is a Moroccan restaurant downtown Portland. Patrons sit on the floor, eat all five courses with their hands (everyone gets a bath towel for a napkin), and get a rosewater hand rinse afterward to cover up the scent of the food. It’s a great experience, although we were worried about taking my 18 month-old son because…well…he’s 18 months old. He ended up doing quite well and thought it was a lot of fun to peek out between the curtains behind our table and look at the passersby on the street, his little head barely poking above the seat.

Sure enough, people walking past started noticing him and smiling. One person even stopped to take a picture. I stood up and ran outside. The photographer, “Pie” (she asked that I not use her real name), thought I was going to get mad at her for taking pictures of my son. Instead, I asked her to write in my journal.

Pie was young and kind of short – she only came up to my shoulders -  with big, expressive eyes. She was easy to talk to and I came to find he was taking photography classes and was using an old-school film camera that night. She was there with her family to celebrate her 18th birthday. After she sat down at her table I gave her my journal.

Pie didn’t want her picture taken, or, rather, it made her family nervous. Clearly I, having a wife and kid and being at dinner with my parents, seemed very threatening. :) She said she’d mail me copies of the pictures she took of my son, and I was waiting to post this until they arrived, but she must have forgotten.

“My name is Pie and it’s my eighteenth birthday and for the first time I am eating Moroccan food. It’s crazy and extremely exciting, I hope the belly dancer shows up at my table and shows me how to shake my thing. Even though I am 18 now, it doesn’t mean I am quite an adult. I am a kid forever because then I will never die. Live forever! I hope that taking these pictures, how I met this random man, allow me to go far. I really enjoy artistic stuff and truly want to make a difference in people’s lives. Also, someday marijuana should be legal because then everyone will be happy.”

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If I wasn’t a klutz, Amy Lynn and I wouldn’t have met.

We sat facing opposite directions on those rows of chairs so common in airport boarding areas. I set my wife’s water bottle on the seat next to me, but it fell between the seats. The lid popped open and the bottle rolled toward her duffel bag, water pouring out of it. I stood up and sprinted around the row of seats, kicked her bag out of the way and grabbed her boarding pass which was sitting nearby.

I’m sure she probably thought I was nuts – some guy with a social disorder, running around airports kicking people’s carry-on luggage.

I explained what had happened and apologized. She was very kind about it and wasn’t upset in the slightest. After returning to my seat I asked her if she’d like to write in my journal. Her teammate/friend piped up: “She’d be perfect for that!”

Sure enough, Amy is an avid journaler and pulled out her own journal to show off. She ended up getting on the plane before me (with my journal). When she was done, she sent my journal back to me via a flight attendant. I didn’t get a picture of her until we landed in Oregon and I tracked her down at the baggage claim.

“Nice” sounds so cliche, but Amy (in addition to being a woman of many talents), is the epitome of the word. I could tell very shortly after meeting her that she is a good person.

P.S. Amy Lynn, if you happen to see this, would you be willing to send in some pictures of your paintings?

My name is Amy Lynn.

I am 6 feet two inches tall. Yeah, that’s pretty tall! But I promise I am not scary.

I love to compete – I play volleyball at a collegiate level and I am in my junior year. There isn’t much better than the adrenaline rush that comes with a hard driven spike to the floor and hearing the crowd roar. I love my team – they are truly my sisters.

I have an enormous family!

I am the middle of seven children and have loved every second of having lots of siblings.

Besides volleyball, I love to express myself through music and art. I took piano lesson for thirteen years of my life and I play with two of my best friends in a band. It’s crazy how so much emotion can be sent through my fingers. And when I do find time aside from school, work, and practice…

I paint.

I love spending so much time on a piece – just making it perfect. Yes, I am a perfectionist! I hold myself to a very high standard in everything I do, but I find happiness in success!

I am only twenty years old and I still have so much of life to experience, but if I could give anyone reading this just one piece of advice: don’t hold back. Do your best in everything you do, and don’t be afraid to let your true self shine! I have much to work on in this exact same aspect, but hopefully one day I find who I really am, and become who I want to be…oh and find a guy like my dad along the way!

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It was just after 7:00 am and Crystal was standing behind my sister and me in line at a university bookstore. They were having a sale on Apple products (educational discount plus no sales tax!) and we were both picking up new laptops. She asked me about the preinstalled software on the machines she was buying. Being a bit of a geek, I’m always happy to talk tech, and so our conversation began.

Crystal is getting her undergrad in exercise and sports science and will pursue her master’s in the same. She teaches yoga and is an avid outdoorswoman. When I mentioned that I’d never skied in Utah (something nearly blasphemous when living in this state) she asked, slightly baffled, “What do you do if you don’t spend time outdoors?”

I never would have guessed that Crystal had the difficult background she wrote about based on interacting with her. She has been proactive overcoming her trials and is now trying to help others do the same.

If I had to come up with a single word to describe Crystal it would probably be genuine. She’s one of those people who makes whoever she’s around feel important. Crystal would be a good friend: fun, sincere, and outgoing. It was a pleasure to have met her.

Person in line @ Apple sale:

My father died in a hang gliding accident the day before I was born. Before age 10 I attended a retreat in which I burned a decorated branch that symbolized my fear of my mother’s death. In my teens I exposed myself to as much sensory stimulation in search of something that would draw me into the present moment – this extended into my early 20s in the form of substances. I spent 2 months in an isolated population which allowed me to begin a longer process of feeling OK w/ being alone.

I’ve continued to take particular actions that lead towards assisting others with fear of loneliness but sometimes I forget and feel lost. What’s beautiful is that there are always reminders bringing me back to self and what I feel comfortable dedicating my life to. When ego or the external edges of life sneak in my confidence is blurred. Being humble in my lack of understanding of information and life keeps me young – curious – playful and loving. It is through suffering that I have arrived and continue to arrive repeatedly. I am not religious specifically but I learn most when my connection with spirit is strong.

I often feel people should have an autobiography to hand others upon initial meeting so that there is less time spent on potentially superficial interactions – then realize the process of love and compassion comes in all forms. I don’t enjoy talking about myself but I end up there anyways.

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I got an e-mail from Vicky the other day. I received enough comments and e-mails of concern about her that I thought it would be appropriate to pass along the happy news:

Good afternoon David,

It’s Vicky Johnson. I haven’t written you in quite some time. I’ve been really busy trying to get my life together.

So basically, what’s been going on these past few months is:

-I started school at East High about 3 weeks ago. A little late, but I did it. The reason I didn’t start on time was because my dad didn’t want to register me. He assumed that because I didn’t do so well in school the years before, the same would happen this year. So I talked to the VOA drop-in center for homeless youth, and they taught me that because I am homeless, I could register myself for school and due to a law they have (i don’t at this moment remember the name of this law), they cannot refuse me. So I registered myself for school, without anyones help. And I’m doing pretty well. I just get really anxious because this is my first time back in school in a year and a half.

-I moved into a VOA transition/group home for girls. And I will be there for the next 18 months. I can leave anyday I wish, but I think that I ought to stay for as long as I can. Get me off the streets and help me straighten out my life. And it’s getting cold outside and winters coming fast. Sleeping in parks is no fun in the snow. -I’ve done it before.

I just wanted to let you know that I am doing well. I struggle sometimes, but I’m keeping it together. And I’ve got alot of people supporting me in what I am doing.
Also, I don’t drink or smoke weed anymore. Actually, I am getting drug tested for it. But even without the drugs tests, I think I am finally done with all that nonsence. My party days are over. And to be honest,I think it’s kind of lame to get “****** up” everyday of your life and do nothing else.

Thanks for your time.

Peace, Love, and Happiness <3
Vicky Johnson.

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I watched S.D. (she asked that I not use her real name) hoist her 10-speed onto the train. I’ve always been a bit envious of people who have the discipline to ride their bikes as part of their commute so I decided to ask her about it. After chatting for a bit I asked her if she’d write in my journal. She hesitated, then said yes.

As we continued to talk after she finished writing, I noticed S.D. had a thoughtful, reflective countenance. A student at the University of Utah, she is studying both chemistry and English and wants to become a doctor of some kind. She asked me a lot about my journal and the project and we discussed some of the previous entries. Her story proved insightful and meaningful, especially for a spur-of-the-moment request. And I couldn’t agree more with her sentiment, “I think it is very necessary for people to write.” :)

“I guess I would be riding my bike mostly for the environment and partly for me. I think that it is very necessary for people to write. Sometimes through writing you begin to understand what you believe. You can’t decide what you believe, if you had to decide what you believe in you truly do not believe it. The greatest advice I have ever gotten was from my best friend, Jenet, she said that what you hate most in other people is always something that you contain in yourself as well. S.D.”

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When I approached him about writing in my journal, he seemed hesitant and skeptical. After a little persuading he began to write. When he finished he apologized for not having time to “get deeper”. I think he was finally getting into it when his stop came. He declined to have his picture taken.

“I’m Clarence. I was born & raised in the Rocky Mountains of Western Montana. Some things I like are music, art, fly fishing & camping. I moved down here to Salt Lake earlier this summer to attend the University of Utah in working towards a degree in graphic design. I love art, it’s my life and I couldn’t imagine doing anything but it. Although I wish graphic design to be my career, music is my passion! I don’t know what the world would be without good music. So…here are the things you’ve learned about Clarence (and don’t you ever forget them!). He likes art and music a lot.”

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