Eastern Mennonite University - Shenandoah Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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Glenn Wyble, Ben Risser

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Bonnie Heishman, Sharon Derstine Jan Karst Mildred Pellman, Tim Gascho ho

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I’ve been afraid, often, and of many different things — like the dark, bad dreams, and good dreams because when you wake up the happiness is over. But | wasn’t exactly afraid to come here, just kind of numb; waiting. It wasn’t going to be a dream, and it wasn’t going to be night. The Student Handbook called it a community. The letters that came said, ‘‘We believe in you. You can become.” And also | believed. That community within myself was going to fit together and so | would become part of that larger, smiling, caring unity. The pictures pointed to it so vividly — holding hands, singing ‘‘we are one in the Spirit, we areone. . .” And so I came. The lady at the ‘roommate desk” put a question mark in my mind where a period had been. ‘’You do associate with others? Well, | think it would be better. . .”” PREJUDICE popped into my mind. Then | was afraid. Afraid that all the affirmations would become questions, that all the questions would be answered ‘‘No!”’ But she was only one. The door opened to a host of friendly eyes. ‘‘Welcome, welcome!’’ And the fear was pushed back. Well, all that was a long time ago; I’ve learned a lot since. The community | found here was much like that community | had known within myself — needing to fit together. That subtle prejudice that frightened me so was also within me. — student Rhoda Trost Ron Stoltzfus