Submitted by Nancy Berg
While in Kroger last weekend to do my weekly shopping, I was behind a mom and her son who was pushing a grocery cart and wearing a new Miami University of Ohio t-shirt. The mom was saying “now pick out some fruit because you need to have something healthy to snack on in the evening in your dorm room.”
I looked at her son who was rolling his eyes and shuffling his feet, not answering her. I leaned toward him and said, “It’s all good – love and honor,” and kept walking. “Love and honor” is something that a Miami University alumni or student says to another Miami University alumni or student as recognition that there is a connection with the school and that they care for fellow Miamians.
As I turned and looked back at him, he also turned and looked at me with a surprised look on his face and he smiled. I stopped and watched him as he said to his Mom, “Ok Mom, no problem, let’s get some apples.” I smiled and thought — that’s what love and honor is — having the opportunity to connect and tell the young man that Miami is within reach, and before you know it, you’ll be on your own.
Have a Bright Spot to share? Send it to Managing Editor Julia Lerner (lernerj@denison.edu). Tell us about the moment that made you smile in under 200 words, and try to include a photograph. We’ll add it to our growing list of Bright Spots on TheReportingProject.org!