Over Thanksgiving break, I talked to a friend of mine from back home, and she told me about something I had never heard of before – She told me about Cru.
Cru is a Christian organization that helps students network with other students who believe in God as well as experience discussions, lectures and bonding activities related to deepening their spirituality and their connection to each other.
She said she was going to a 6-day Cru winter conference in Denver, CO. When she said she was driving all the way from St. Louis to Denver; me, the traveler, jokingly asked, “You have room for one more in your car?”
She said yes, and she offered me a seat. It was a lighthearted question that quickly led me down the path of serious adventure deliberations: My expenses would include the program fee which included the five hotel nights’ stay (around $250 total), my participation in paying for gas (about $30), and of course food/shopping ($200ish – I really don’t buy souvenirs). How could I refuse an offer like that?
So we hit the road. I took a turn in driving, fell asleep after my shift, and woke up in Denver.
And for the next five days, I dived into the conference activities while also making time to explore the city.
I spent half of each day for two days in the Denver Public Library and the Art Museum. I even got myself a library card.
#booksessed. I know. But as a fanatical book lover, I think I’ll make it my life mission to get a library card wherever I travel to from now on.
But then an unexpected thing happened – I made three very good friends who I would share my most amazing New Year’s Eve with.
George, Sherin, and Salom.
George and Sherin were exchange students from India; Salom’s family was from Eritrea. Sherin and Salom were put in the same room as my friend and I, and we hit it off from the very beginning.
We shared many laughs; traded stories, and they inspired me every day. When New Year’s Eve came along, we decided to take a walk that evening. A nice stroll before midnight quickly turned into one of the most memorable nights of my life.
A DJ filled 16th Street with music, but it was more like some kind of anthem as everyone gathered together to dance and form what I would call one giant mosh pit. You could hear a strangely enchanting mix of laughter, mindless babbling, and the songs of 2016 throughout the air.
A little boy in a spiderman costume danced in a circle of encouraging adults; he smiled, triumphant and joyful as he got to share a little moment with the grown-ups. An old lady stepped in there too, dancing with a woman who appeared to be her daughter.
Two dudes in jumpsuits (like really ugly ‘80s sweatsuits and sunglasses) were dancing around the four of us. It was like we stepped onto the scene of the music video for “Party Rock Anthem” or something.
But the point of it all is that everyone was happy. It was just an amazing thing to behold; seeing so many smiles all at once. These are people who work the nine to five on the weekdays; people who miss their ex, people upset by fights and bickering with their loved ones. But in this moment, they were happy – we all were happy for this one night.
Had I not made the decision to call my friend Sarah on Thanksgiving to wish her a happy holiday, I would have never been invited to go to Colorado. If I didn’t get invited to Colorado, I wouldn’t have met George, Sherin, and Salom. And if I didn’t meet them – Well, my New Year’s would have been spent in a bed watching a stupid ball drop in a city I would have been nowhere near.
It just goes to show how one decision really can change everything.
“You learn to take life as it comes at you… to make each day count.” – Jack, Titanic
Your USFSP HC Prez with care,
Megan Hammer