Monday, August 29, 2011

A lesson on perspective.

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear...

These are words we read all the time. Why? Because it is an important message--so important its printed on the mirror, not just an overlay you can peel off after reading it once.
Now you know the message printed on the mirror is true. However, some person might think its stupid that this message is printed on their mirror never to be removed.

Unless we put this message in the proper perspective, we may miss its significance. Is it important that we know that what we see in the mirror is not reality? Of course!

Well isn't that the way it is. Sometimes we see something in life and instantly it has an emotion attached to it because the 'good' 'bad' 'ugly' 'sad' 'mean' 'kind' thing that happened tends to evoke something within us. If left to our own devices, we may think of the 'good' 'bad' 'ugly' 'sad' etc thing as a single emotion forever.

But time lends perspective. And its in perspective that we find not reality but eternity. In the perspective of eternity--we see things as they truly are because we can see afar off rather than in a distorted vision of what's in the past.

Eternity lends itself two ways. Eternity does not refer solely to the future, it refers to the past as well. Life is a continuum and while mortality particularly seems to have its fair share of ups and downs, highs and lows, an eternal perspective allows us to see events in life contribute to something greater--like the shaping of our spiritual souls, the essence of who we are.

When we view things this way, events in life aren't just things that happen to us--they become decision points where one has two choices. We can ask ourselves, why me? or we can say, what am i to learn? Choosing the path less traveled and continuing down the path, however overgrown and uphill that path may be will in the end lead to a vista where all things become clear due to the elements being placed in proper perspective.

Perhaps I've lost you in my thoughts by now. But in conclusion, I want to add a couple more things.

These past few months have been a time of great learning experiences. Dare I say the last year has been filled with experiences that have allowed an intense learning curve. I don't imagine that to change in the future--I don't expect life getting any 'easier' anytime soon. And so, that is why I share my feelings about perspective. I feel that when I take the time to look at the bigger picture, it is easier to keep moving forward.

Perspective puts pain in a proper perspective. Something I realized this weekend is that the role of the Spirit (Holy Ghost) is not to protect us from ever having painful experiences. Sometimes, when we hurt whether it be spiritual, emotional, physical or mental hurt we think--I must have done something wrong or I must not have followed a prompting right otherwise, I wouldn't be feeling all this pain. But one of the roles of the Spirit is not to be a protector of pain but a comfort and guide in times when we feel pain. In those moments we can choose to overcome pain either the Lord's way or the other way (which essentially is any other way).

And so we have a choice. Making a correct choice at this time requires perspective. Its remembering the source of true comfort, and true healing. Its remembering that the only way essentially is the Lord's way and that only through the Atonement, can all that is unfair about life be made right.



Thursday, August 25, 2011

I delight in containment.

One of the many joys of fishing in a row boat in the middle of a lake is that whoever you're sharing the boat with--is contained to the same space as you unless they decide to jump in.

You can only take what you've got--and in a small space that means--poles, lures, nets, drinks, life jackets, and the fish blanket. So none of those other distractions (except the iphone--its more of a disagreement solver than anything else though) that live in your personal space (or at least in mine, the rest of the time) e.g. computer, text books, papers, etc.

There is something about spending time on a lake, fishing...waiting for something to happen that is so fantastic. Fishing is fun...no matter what anyone else says.

Fly-fishing is the most fun, but watching Christin fish with a worm and bobber--is pretty classic!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

I delight in honesty.

Last week, I spent a lot of time with this little beast pictured above. Something I admire a great lot about little Rubes is that she, as a dog and a puppy at that has to be honest with herself. After all her brain just doesn't have all the folds that we do. It has no choice than to live by instinct. So, she lives a life barking at squirrels, scratching here, there and everywhere, eating pinecones, chasing butterflies, sleeping where'er she pleases, the list goes on and on. Her personality shines through everything she does. As I watched her, observed her, studied her that she is really good at something that she probably has no choice to be any different but its a quality I admire--she's true to who she is--my butterfly chasing, ankle biting puppy dog named Ruby (or as we've begun to call her--rubyrubyroo (with the same intonation as scooby-dooby do).

I on the other hand have the choice to be honest with myself and true to who I am.

That is a powerful ability.

"And all this can ye do if ye will." (Alma 33:23)

We choose, I choose.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

I'm baaack!

I have so delighted in my two-week vacation. During that time I've been in 5 states and slept where my window let in the sound of water--ocean or lake, every single night. Its been a jam-packed crazy two weeks but I've loved and appreciated every minute of it. Updates to come--mostly on my other blog. If you need an invite--comment here and I'll invite you!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

I delight in a dream.

Sometimes I wish I could just step from one world to another in an instant. I have finally stepped out of school world being more halfway done with grad school and have entered "summer vacationland." If you could be anywhere at anytime, where would you go? My list includes:
  • island park, idaho, usa
  • a hammock in monte cristo, utah, usa
  • a random beach i stumbled across on prince edward island, canada
  • hebgen lake, montana, usa
  • halifax harbour, nova scotia, canada


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

I delight in 28 hours and counting.



So close. I'm just so close but not close enough. Tonight's a night of paperwork, planning and studying. 5 reports, 5 soaps, 1 exam and 1 work client and I'm done! Done done done.

When this said 'done' time actually happens I intend to do a lot of things:
  • call people i haven't talked to in months
  • sleep
  • finish my crafty blocks
  • exercise
  • pack for CA
  • play with my siblings
  • read books
  • take pictures
  • finish the quilt
  • write about things besides school on this blog
  • finally post the range creek photos#1 on the other blog
  • catch up in journal
  • revise goals
Until then...