Sights that made me stop

There were a few moments today where I simply had to stop and stand in awe.  I can think of two such moments off the top of my head.  And here they are:

1.  As I was walking across campus, from the JFSB where I had been coding towards the MARB where I had an evening class, I saw something peculiar.  Or at least I feel that it should be peculiar. But then I thought to myself, it really isn't all that suprising considering that this is BYU.  For what I beheld, there in the middle of campus, were two older men pulling a loaded handcart.  My thoughts were few and varied.  Why?  Why not?  Did they build it themselves?  What were they transporting?  Did it have a purpose outside of being a handy way to transport a lot of goods at once.  I don't know the answer to those questions.

2.  As I left the MARB to the HBLL (Harold B. Lee Library) to staple an assignment and hole punch some pages, I could hear the Star Spangled Banner playing.  I have enough patriotism and respect to stop when I hear the national anthym played.  So I stopped and put my hand over my heart for the duration of the song, looking in the direction I believed the nearest flag was being flown.  Many others, although not everyone, similarly stopped.  It occured to me what a peculiar sight that would be to someone unfamiliar with the custom.  If I were from another culture, and walked out of a building as I did, and found a dozen people scattered randomly in my field of vision, each facing the same direction and as still as a statue, I likely would come to bear a bewildered look and be quite confused.  As it was, it was a beautiful sight.  But I couldn't help but think of how odd it must seem if seen stripped of its meaning.