Life Lesson #44

Life Lesson #42

Life Lesson #37

- Gossip Girl

Life Lesson #36

Life Lesson #34

Life Lesson #33

And a few more things:

Getting a good grade on something you thought you bombed.

Daydreaming.

Finding old photos, letters and keepsakes you thought you'd lost.

Having a crush on someone and being excited to see them.

Cuddling with a sleepy puppy.

Writing silly notes with your best friend when class becomes too boring to handle.

A warm donut with sprinkles before class.

Those rare mornings when your hair actually does what you want it to.

Getting into your comfy sweats after a long day.

A hug from someone you love when you need it most.

And realizing that the majority of the best things in life aren't actual things.

What are some of the best things in your life?

Infinite Potential

The other day I was standing at the sink washing dishes and watching my dog run around outside in the backyard. I noticed him playing with something and saw to my horror that it was a baby robin. I raced outside and stopped him, but the little bird was really hurt. He had been out with his mom learning how to fly.

I realized that he would never know what it felt like to fly. He was born with all the potential to do so, but his chances were cut short so early in his life. And then I thought about how often we cut ourselves short of our own potential. We are born with the ability to do whatever we set our mind to and work hard to get. And although outside forces sometimes hinder our ability to measure up, the majority of the time we are the ones standing in our own way of greatness. 

So live each day to your fullest potential. Say the things you mean, and do the things you say. Never give up hope or lose faith in yourself, because you have everything you need to achieve anything you want.

In terms of forever...

"The Great Commandment" 

by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

"... There once was an elderly man and woman who had been married for many decades. Because the wife was slowly losing her sight, she could no longer take care of herself the way she had done for so many years. Without being asked, the husband began to paint her fingernails for her.

'He knew that she could see her fingernails when she held them close to her eyes, at just the right angle, and they made her smile. He liked to see her happy, so he kept painting her nails for more than five years before she passed away.' 

That is an example of the pure love of Christ. Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life.

True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes, and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father bears for us.

We all yearn to experience love like this. Even when we make mistakes, we hope others will love us in spite of our shortcomings—even if we don’t deserve it.

Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us—even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will.

We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won’t, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.

The most cherished and sacred moments of our lives are those filled with the spirit of love. The greater the measure of our love, the greater is our joy..."

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The pictures I included in this post are of my Grandparents Jack and Nell. They loved each other more than anything in the world. When my Grandpa died several years ago, one of the main things that was said at his funeral was how beautiful their love for each other was. They were together for nearly 60 years and never had a single fight! 
One of my favorite stories was of their first date. My handsome Grandpa had just arrived home from fighting in WWII and all the girls were after him. My Grandma happened to be in his ward and out of all the swooning girls fawning over him, he asked my Grandma on a date. On their date he drove her up to a spot overlooking the Salt Lake Valley that us young kids now call "The Ocean". Even back then it was the prime make-out location. My poor Grandma was uneasy about being there, and her fears grew even more when he casually put his arm around her in the front seat. But instead of going in for a kiss, he reached into the backseat and grabbed his guitar to serenade her! How cute is that? He was the perfect gentleman.

Their story is what I dream for myself to someday have. Even though I was young, I knew just by watching how they would look at each other that their love was pure and unwavering. Sometimes it's hard not knowing if I'll ever find someone who will treat and love me as much as my Grandpa loved my Grandma, but after reading this talk by Elder Wirthlin I know that if I never give up hope, someday I'll be able to start my own love story with someone just as loving and dear as he was.

Ancient Chinese Wisdom

Confucius 

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

-

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

--

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

---

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.

----

I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.

-----

In nature we are together, in practice we are apart.

----

When we see someone of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.

---

The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.

--

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

-

- Confucius

I want to see the world

"But often, in the din of strife, there rises an unspeakable desire after the knowledge of the buried life; a thirst to spend our fire and restless force in tracking our true, original course; a longing to inquire into the mystery of this heart which beats so wild, so deep in us - to know whence our lives come and where they go." - Matthew Arnold

Veteran's Day

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,

who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,

who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet,

who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,

who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,

who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,

who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flag,

It is the VETERAN who serves under the flag.

Thank you to all those who risk their lives every day to save those they love, and those they've never even met. Thank you for protecting me, my family, and our freedom. I will forever be grateful. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Deep in the Hundred Acre Woods...

On rainy days like this, I like to reminisce on old times.

Oh... the memories :]

Never Forget

9/11/2001

We will never forget.

I was 10 years old on 9/11. I woke up that morning in September with no idea that that day would be the single most devastating event in US history. 

My mom was in the kitchen making breakfast when my dad called to tell us that a plane had just flown into a building in New York. I remember her telling me that it was probably just a small plane that ran off course and everything would be okay. I got ready for the day and went to school not expecting the horror that would unfold minute by minute on the TV set in my class room.

I arrived at school just in time to watch the 2nd tower fall. I remember people crying, my teacher in particular was in complete shock. No one knew what to do, so we just stared at the screen for hours watching the chaos in NYC, the devastation at the Pentagon in DC, and an open scar in a Pennsylvanian field.
I remember crying with my friends, so scared and so hurt not only for my country, but for all those involved and all of their loved ones and friends. I remember thinking, "How could anyone do this to other human beings?" The hurt never went away, it has been 9 years and I still remember that day clearer than any other day in my life.

May God be with all those who lost parents, children, brothers, sisters, spouses, friends, and co-workers. And may all 2,976 people who lost their lives that day rest in peace.

May God Bless America!




Where were you on that September day?


"Justice will be served and the battle will rage:
This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.
And you'll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A.
'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way!

Hey, Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list,
And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist.
And the eagle will fly and it's gonna be hell,
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell.
And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you.
Ah, brought to you, courtesy of the Red, White and Blue."

What's the rush?

FACT: 

The State of Utah has the lowest average age of marriage in the U.S. 

ANOTHER FACT: 

I know well over 20 people who I grew up with who are now engadged/already married/have kids.  

So what I want to know is... What's the rush?

One answer I get over and over again every time I ask this question is, "Why wait?"

I personally don't believe that after knowing someone for hardly a month or two, you know for a fact that they are the one and only person for you and you must marry them as soon as possible... honestly now. What ever happened to getting to know someone before "taking the plunge"? I don't think you can know enough about a person to take said plunge in such a short amount of time.

So here is my reply...

Live life slowly.

Live life deeply.

Live life lovingly,

and

live life knowingly.

If you're "meant to be" with someone, they'll stick around. Just enjoy getting to know each other better. There is no rush on love. And if there is then you have a problem.

I want to see the world before I settle down. I want to take every adventure that comes my way before I continue on to the next chapter in my life. I want to know who I am and what I need before I get to know my someone else. 

The only people for me...

Life Lesson #18

Hello, hello

As I'm writing this, fireworks are going off up at my old high school. I'm sitting in the den by the big windows and the booms and pops are echoing down the hill to my house. Tonight was this year's senior dinner dance... the last big hurrah before the actual party of graduation begins. It feels like just yesterday I was at an old hotel downtown with everyone I grew up with, dancing and laughing and having the time of our lives at our senior dinner dance. None of us knew what was waiting for us on the other side of our little protective bubble we were so eager to pop. And for that one night, we didn't worry about the future. We just soaked in the last few moments we all had together. My last memory of that night was when the DJ turned off the music and announced it was time to go home. Everyone flooded the dance floor one last time and sang "Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey hey, goodbye..." And that was the moment it hit me that the rest of my life was waiting for me, like a freshly poured slab of concrete and a bucket full of sidewalk chalk.

Since that time almost exactly a year ago, I've learned that nothing goes as planned. I remember the night of graduation, I pictured what my life would be like a year from that day. I won't go into detail about what type of person I envisioned myself as, but I can tell you that the future self I pictured is nothing like the person writing this right now. I have learned some important lessons since that night...

1. Life is much more enjoyable when you take risks. Of course, some risks take a bit more thought than others, but once you make that decision just go out there and do it! Whoever said "nothing ventured, nothing gained" was a wise, wise person. Never leave any room for what-if's. That is the one phrase you will never want to utter when you look back on your life someday.

2. When things are going great, enjoy every moment of them. When they're not, just remember that they won't stay that way for long. A lot of the time those hard times teach you valuable lessons and also make for great stories you can laugh about later. Basically, always acknowledge that every situation has a bright side, and find it.

3. Accept changes. They are coming your way if you wished for them, or not. You might as well try to enjoy them.

4. Don't pay any attention to what others think about you. It seems to me that there are three types of people: 1) Those who try to fit in, 2) those who don't care, and 3) those who reject all things "popular" in order to be different. Be a #2 person. If you like that Ke$ha song, you dance and sing your little heart out. If you like to wear bright pink Croc shoes, you go ahead and do that. If you find watching C-SPAN to be highly invigorating, you watch it! Just do what makes you happy. There is no need to try and act like everyone else, and there is no need to set yourself apart from everyone else. Just be yourself and do what makes you happy.

Life Lesson #16

Create

I love this video. It has a great message and the music is beautiful too. 

It really doesn't matter what you believe in, but I think this video rings true for us all. And I think it's really neat to know that the things we create will live on far after we ourselves have left this world. When we create, we will never be forgotten.

Fireworks

My deepest hopes are that I will live happy, and die happy.

That I'll never stay the same, 

because we were never meant to belong to one place for long.

To take risks because they make for great stories.

To learn things I'll end up forgetting anyways.

To always be associated with something that makes people laugh.

To travel to far off places and see life through different eyes.

To love, forgive, and love some more.

To learn something new about myself everyday.

To accept things I can't control.

What are your deepest hopes?