Life: Experienced (Fitting Thoughts on Easter Sunday)

On this particular Easter, I am especially aware of my Savior. I've had a lot of events/conversations/thoughts this week that have helped me recognize my need for Him, and that would have prompted blog posts, as it were. Possible titles for these introspective posts included the following:

"How to Get the Girl"
"The Importance of Kindness"
"Small and Simple Truth"
"Pain, Part 2"
"The Testimony Last of All- He Lives"

I suppose the last is most fitting. After all, nothing is more all encompassing than the love and Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I don't know how many people read my blog, and so I don't know if there are any readers that don't have a religious affiliation. Affiliated or not though, I would echo the words of the prophet Ether in the Book of Mormon and encourage everyone "to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever." I know God lives for a lot of reasons, but I'll be honest and say one of the driving forces is that I want to. I want to trust that things get better, trials can be overcome, and hope lies ahead of every situation, no matter how dire. This is the good news- the world is sad, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ heals. And I want that.

On to the titles.

Beginning with the first: "How to Get the Girl", I began dating one of the kindest people I've ever met. After a long friendship and his persistent pursuit, I conceded and we started one of the most well met beginnings of a  relationship I've ever had. The most attractive thing to me about him was his goodness. That's how you win- girls just want someone to be nice to them. However, it wasn't a perfect match, as we quickly learned, and is now over. But it was a good start, and I think we both learned in the process.

"The Importance of Kindness" was spurred only the next day when I crossed paths with a young man who had pursued me last year. When dating hadn't worked out between us, we had almost turned into nemeses always trying to one up one another with snide remarks. Fortunately time passed, we both apologized, and went our separate ways. Upon seeing him again just a few days ago, I learned that his rudeness towards me had originally stemmed from the pain of losing his mom (her passing is fairly recent). I was shocked, to say the least, and embarrassed that I hadn't responded more kindly. I had no idea. Turns out that we never know what people are going through, and even if they are rude to us, we still need to be kind.

"Small and Simple Truth" would have been inspired by the gay marriage debate. I will not pretend to be educated or understand this issue. I will say this though- God loves all of His children in a much more personal, involved, and invested way than I think many of us realize. His love is not conditional on our choices or even our weaknesses, which is truly a lucky break for all of us considering our ability/inability to understand everything. I have dear friends who are gay, I have dear friends who are straight. There is much I don't understand, but I do know that God loves His children.

"Pain: Part 2" is in the works, and will likely be its own post. I learned a lot about myself this weekend, the main take away being that I can't handle everything as well as I'd like, and I have some more growing to do. It was jolting, considering I had convinced myself I was impervious. Ah, don't we all.

But here is the testimony last of all- Christ lives. We have a Savior, a partner in our pain and sorrow. Nothing is easy, but at least we're not doing it alone, and we can appeal to strength from Him who is mighty to save. On this Easter Sunday, I am grateful for Christ.

Les Midge

This past week I went to a comedy show with one of my good friends, and my favorite sketch was easily "Les Midge" where they told the story of Les Miserables via The Hobbit. You have not lived until you have heard Gollum sing, "I Dreamed a Dream". Anyway, it seemed a fitting title for this post.

Life's lesson lately seems to be having lots of good options to choose between. It's mildly aggravating as the best choice isn't always apparent, but I suppose there are worse situations I could be in. This plethora of options has manifest itself in both dating and job opportunities. Equally stressful, actually. However, I suppose making choices teaches us what we really want, and thus helps us to grow. Sure.

This is how I feel about dating currently. It's like I'm vegetarian and I keep getting offered meat. Steak? No, I don't eat meat. Well how about some pork? Still meat. Chicken? Meat. Hamburger? No Life- you cannot offer me another meat from the same animal- it's still meat! However many options arise, I'm still hungry/single! And then suddenly I'm offered a veggie burger, and the choice is less clear. To be continued.