A chance encounter....or was it....

Last week I had an experience that I will not soon forget! It was Monday afternoon and I had just given my presentation in our class which, as we all know, was to apologize for poetry. As I walked into the Sub I spotted my friends still sitting where I had left them, so I joined them. They were all aware that I had just given a presentation in my English class so they asked me how it had gone. My friend Dan said, "now what exactly was it about again?" I laughed and tried to quickly explain that I was defending poetry or, in other words, trying to explain the point of studying and reading stories that aren't necessarily true. The crazy thing was that he in turn began telling me that he himself has never understood the point.....he said that reading novels and other such pieces of literature seemed like a waste of time. I shook my head at him as I thought to myself "here we go again." On this occasion, however, he asked if I would give a summary of what I had said in class because he honestly wanted to know my opinion on the subject. (side note: he is an engineering major) I began telling him about Plato, Sydney, Frye, etc. and was able to deliver a very convincing case for why it is important to study and experience literature. After I finished, he looked at me and thanked me very sincerely because he was now convinced that it not only makes sense, but that it is important too! It was so amazing to take all of the things that I have learned in this class, and that I already felt in regards to literature, and share it with someone who was not at first inclined to agree with me. What an amazing opportunity to put into practice that which I had previously only written about-I will forever be grateful for such a chance!