Well Thought Out Twinkles

Yesterday (Wednesday) was a tough day. It had high points, low points, lower points and mediocre points. It was a Six-Flag style emotional roller coaster. 
Just over a month ago, a professor from the English department passed away. He was a professor that I had in my very first semester, and he really had a tremendous impact on me. He introduced me to Yeats and Keats and Auden. He made me realize I had to put effort into my writing (which I never had to do in high school). He had a great love for literature, and loved his students and teaching -- it was obvious. His class was my hardest, because he expected a lot from me, and being a young and shy eighteen-year-old, I was quite intimated. But, no nearly three years later, I wish I could tell my younger self to smarten up and soak in every bit of information and help I could from him. But, I can't. And that's okay. I can still take what I have learned and continue. Anyhow. Yesterday a memorial service was held at the university. It was really lovely. I sat alone, which was sort of nice, because I needed to just be with my thoughts. So, with that being the focus of my day, my emotions were pretty fragile.
I was also missing Justin terribly because the memorial service was held in a building that I took a class in at my last EFY with Justin, and it's right by some statues that we took pictures of, and is close to the dorms, near the sidewalk that we would walk everyday that week. So, I was missing my guy quite a bit. Emotions are spilling over quite heavily at this point.
Then at Institute (which is always the highlight of my week), I got to enjoy a great lesson. So, my emotions raise, and my heart feels better, and I'm feeling the spirit. Then, after class, Canada beats Russia 7-3 and I am a proud Canadian! Add that to the silver and bronze medals we won earlier, I am beaming with pride in my beautiful country. In choir (which I love!) things were going very smoothly and happy as we sang my favourite that we are working on, I sat next to a girl that is always so sweet and kind. Then, there's a shift as we have to move around for the altos singing the second soprano part to sit together. I went to sit next to another friend in the back, where I thought there was an empty seat when I was so rudely informed by another that that seat was "taken". And, for the rest of the night, I sat next to negative energy in the far back corner of the alto section, hearing her rude and critical remarks, which I did not enjoy. But then despite that, I was still able to feel the spirit, and I was deeply touched by some of the lyrics we sang. So, emotional roller coaster. 
When I got home, this is what awaited me, inside a white mail package:

A hymnal with the name 'Elder Marshall' embossed on the front. For Christmas, I gave Justin my hymnal, which he had wanted and asked (jokingly) before he left because it matched his scriptures. But, he bought one while he was in the MTC (which he didn't tell me), so he gave it to me. He has mine, and I have his. And, in the picture frame in a pocket from one of his dress shirts, with his missionary tag. When I opened the box, and saw these, all of the emotion of the day just bubbled over. It was such a great way to end the day. To have a piece of the man I love here with me, while he is far away. Justin is so thoughtful. Every single gift he has ever given me always comes with a good thought or memory or story. I think I have a lot of good anniversaries and birthdays in my future.