So I will start by sharing that my sister and I have a date night every Tuesday at the dollar theater. Well last Tuesday we went and saw the movie "Yes Man." Funny, but not anything I would consider inspirational and life changing... and yet it had me thinking the whole week.
And as I have shared I have been somewhat anti-social in my current surroundings; so this movie had me thinking that I was saying no to too much in life. So I decided to say YES to more in life. Or so I thought I would do. And I was put to the test.
Sunday nights my ward has ward prayer, and really... I am not a big fan. My wards and Stakes in College did away with ward prayer, and I agreed with them. But anywhoo I ward here still has one each week. So I tell my sister that I think I will try it. But then came Sunday night... the test... to see if I could be social and branch out from my comfort zone. Well I chickened out. There was something really interesting on the History Channel. Something so interesting that I now can't remember what it was. But that wasn't the end of that. Just as I had resigned myself to a night with History channel a knock came to my door... it was a guy who lives upstairs... his name is Ralph, and he asked where all my roommates were... I shared that one was at work, another at her parents house, and my sister was on her way to ward prayer. Well this Ralph seemed to get an idea in his head at that moment, and shared that WE needed to go to ward prayer... and I was in a loss of words... I thought that the fact that I was in my house in my pajama's instead of being in the car with my sister on the way to ward prayer proved that I didn't want to go. So I just looked at him... so he says "No I mean it... I really think that we should go."
And for some reason I become very honest with this gentleman... I share that I have no interest in going, and that I have become somewhat anti-social of late. (I have no idea why I am being so open and honest with this guy whom I have known for like 2 minutes) He then shares that we are going and that he was going upstairs to put shoes on. So... he knocks again and says he will drive and heads towards his car... well I am baffled and intrigued so I go along. I shock my sister by walking into the church. It was pretty funny. During ward prayer Ralph has me repeating "I am a social butterfly" and has taken it upon himself to help me reconnect with the outside world.
That was only the beginning. The next night was FHE, and the guys of the ward have decided to have a girls appreciation night They are making dinner for all the girls of the ward. And I now know that if I don't show up Ralph will be knocking on my door and pushing me to it... so I decide to go... and oh was it an adventure. They have turned the gym into a little Italian restaurant... I could tell because of the background mood music (all 4 tracks of it). Well it starts with salad and garlic bread. And all is going well.... I am actually being social (awkward but social) and then during the spiritual thought we hear the fire alarm sounding from the kitchen area... and immediately all the guys in the room quickly leave and head toward the kitchen. Then the guy giving the spiritual thought stops... listens to the guy whispering in his ear and then says: Well there has been a slight change in plans... you know how when you are young you really wanted to have your dessert for dinner... well you're getting that wish tonight.
So quickly they pass out the carrot cake to all of us. And yes it was yummy, but we were all really intrigued to know what happened to dinner? Slowly the truth is leaked and we find out that someone put a pyrex pan full of alfredo sauce on a burner that was on. Well the heat caused the pyrex pan to explode... and alfredo went everywhere. Later we ended up getting our dinner. But there were great moments of awkward conversations and funny stories... but by the end of the night I was feeling more like myself than I have been in months.... so this saying yes thing is really awesome. So yes sadly I have received inspiration from Jim Carrey. Shocking I know.... but I think there's something to saying yes to life, and deciding to go out there. It's better than sitting at home all the time longing for the social life you used to have!
So I love you all and apologize for the long story... but I hope you enjoy!
