SOL 1/31: I Didn't Do It for the Chocolate

Returning for year nine of writing daily in March with my slice of life writer friends! Check out Two Writing Teachers for more slices of life occurring every day in March.

I've just returned from being a rookie at the tenth Roots Tech Conference held annually in Salt Lake City. (You may see more than one slice about this event since I'm currently riding a conference high.)  I love this description of the conference I found online. "RootsTech is a global family history event where people of all ages learn to discover, share, and celebrate their family connections across generations through technology."

I found it to be a thrilling experience, filled with new learning and ways to help me inspire others in our congregation on this journey. But as any conference goer can attest, there comes a time when you get a bit cranky. 

It happened on Saturday morning (my fourth day at the conference), when I wanted to be in three sessions at the same time. I decided on the session that I "thought" would help me with an upcoming event that I'm planning. I was disappointed because the content of the presentation was a sharing of online resources with which I'm already familiar. So rather than sit and stew, I opted to quietly leave and planned to make my way to another session. 

But when I stepped out, I met a missionary couple from Canada wearing the famous blue "Ask Me Anything" volunteer shirts. We chatted briefly about where they're from (Alberta, Canada) and whether they knew my friends Coleen and Oliver (they didn't). The husband shared that he'd had his picture taken the day before with David Hume Kennerly, the Pulitzer prize-winning photographer who had entertained us with his famous photos in the general session. 

When I saw the photograph, I replied that he should post it on Instagram. He and his wife informed that they didn't have Instagram. So I chose to help them remedy that. Maybe because I found myself in situation after situation where others had helped me navigate new territory at this conference, I decided that this was an  opportunity for me to give back. Or maybe because I just really didn't want to sit through another session. 

After I got them both signed up for an account, I helped Val draft his first Instagram post and attach the photo. And while we were doing that, Val's wife slipped more than a few wrapped chocolates into my jacket pockets.  It was a sweet reward that I enjoyed as the day proceeded, but the best reward was sharing something I knew how to do with someone who was eager to learn.

Yours truly and my new friend, Val, 
proud owner of an Instagram account!