I graduated from high school in 1995. Just three short years later, the world was watching as the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal broke and the President of the United States was threatened with impeachment. The allegations actually started in 1994 when a woman Clinton worked with in 1991 came forward saying that Clinton had made unwanted sexual advances towards her and, in so doing, had violated her civil rights. Monica Lewinsky began working in the White House in 1995 as an intern. In November of that same year, she began having a sexual relationship with President Clinton, a married man. (You can research more about the topic by simply Googling it.)
As a young 21-year-old woman at the time, I didn't really understand what all the "fuss" was about regarding this supposed affair between the President and Monica Lewinsky. So he was a cheat. Big deal! She was young and impressionable and made a stupid decision to sleep with a married man. Her problem! Hilary didn't have the guts to leave a cheat because the money was too good. I guess if you care more about money than yourself, so be it! Those were my basic thoughts about the whole thing. Surely there need not be any consideration about future problems that would result from this issue. Or so I thought.
I remember Mom and Dad talking about what was happening with the President. I remember them saying how all the publicity about it was going to open the floodgates to worse things happening. I remember them discussing how it would change the world's views on sexual relations, inappropriate relationships, and adultery. But as a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, I didn't really see how the President being an idiot would impact my life or the lives of those I loved directly.
Fast forward 17 years to the legalization of gay marriage. (This is not a debate about whether gay marriage is right or wrong.) I can look back over the last 17 years and see exactly what Mom and Dad were talking about and why they were concerned for the welfare of their children and grandchildren because of what happened with President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. The floodgates were opened, and suddenly we started to see television shows that celebrated sexual relations outside of marriage, messages that adultery was okay as long as you were in love with the other person, and the breaking up of families through divorce and other selfish reasons that supposedly "made everyone happy." There were also shows with people "coming out", shows accepting lifestyles that were "do what you want if it makes you happy", and full of alcohol and drug use. And now we have television shows where people are openly gay and applauded for their lifestyle, shows full of innuendo (even in shows for young children), shows full of drug use and alcohol abuse, shows full of physical and emotional and verbal abuse against men and women and children, and shows that tell us the world is still living in the dark ages because we don't accept all of these things as "normal", "acceptable", or "reasonable." Yes, now I understand what my parents were talking about.
And since hindsight is 20/20, I see similar things happening with the legalization of gay marriage. Several of the young women I taught for years (and discussed the ramifications for society of legalizing gay marriage and accepting actions and behaviors and lifestyles that weren't in accordance with God's will) are now openly following, liking, and even supporting the legalization of gay marriage. The problem is they are where I was 17 years ago. Their eyes have yet to be opened. They have yet to understand and comprehend fully the ramifications of what this means for society as a whole and for religious people who believe in and try to live Christian values. Where will that leave us in another 17 years?
It breaks my heart to see how easily and how willingly young people have accepted what has been forced upon them by the very loud minority. Instead of following their parents examples of loving all, treating all with kindness and respect, and doing all of that without condoning what is wrong in the eyes of God, they are openly defying what they were taught (at least in my class) that they can love the sinner and hate the sin, they can be kind and thoughtful and respectful without condoning beliefs that don't make our Heavenly Father happy, and that they can (and should!) openly support marriage between one man and one woman because it really is the best way for children to grow and thrive. It's not just a matter of loving who you want to love. It's a matter of saving our society from deteriorating to the point of no return.
If I could save them from having 20/20 hindsight later, I would! I've wished several times in the last 17 years that I had been clued in better to what was happening and be able to listen to my parents with a more open mind. If I had, I might have seen what was coming and been more prepared to deal with it. It looks like some, however, have to have that "live and learn" experience. But boy, oh boy, can it be rough! And I'm afraid we're headed for some very murky and rough waters in the next 17 years.
The one bright shining hope, however, is the promise that if we live the way we're supposed to live and do what we're supposed to do, we will recognize the Savior when He comes and eventually be able to return to live with Him and with our Heavenly Father. I'll admit that sometimes I pray for that day to come sooner rather than later, especially knowing what we'll have to face as religious people and as a society in the coming years. It will not get any easier to live by standards deemed "old" or "out of date" by others. As I think about the blessings that came to the righteous in Book of Mormon times, however, I see that bright, shining hope glowing ever brighter.
And THAT is what keeps my sanity.
*I had this post written on the morning of June 30, 2015 as a "scheduled" post to go out tonight (thus you see the time as 7:40 pm). At about 4:00 p.m. today, I saw the following link online and it says basically what I was trying to say here, only the article says it better. In case you are interested in reading it: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/top-church-leaders-counsel-members-after-supreme-court-same-sex-marriage-decision
Showing posts with label Testimony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Testimony. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Equal v. Fair
Years and years ago, when I was but a wee lass knee high to a grasshopper (okay, so I was probably 8 or so), I heard my mom say something I'd never forget. It stuck with me then, and I continue to think about it regularly now because I think it applies to a multitude of things going on in my life, in the media, and in the LDS Church. I don't remember the circumstances surrounding exactly why she said this, but I vaguely think it had something to do with another person who was struggling with a particularly difficult child and a choice they had made that impacted others negatively. Or something like that. Anyway ... Mom told this other person, "I've learned in life that you can't always make things equal with your children, but you can try to make things as fair as possible."
Being young at the time I first heard that, I didn't fully understand what she meant when she said it, but in my mind then I associated equal and fair as the same thing (or similar). In the (many) years since then, I have learned more and more about what Mom meant when she said what she did. For ease of differentiation, I will use the following definitions of equal and fair to (hopefully) explain some things I feel strongly about:
Equal - as great as or the same as
Fair - legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules
(Definitions from www.dictionary.com)
As an adult I've heard Mom say this same thing to others, and she has related it to her children. Some children need more guidance, instruction, hand-holding, support, help, etc. Other children seem to be very independent, make wise choices without much help from parents, understand the consequences of their actions, etc. There is no way she could treat her children equally when their needs were so clearly different. She could always try, however, to treat them fairly. For example, all five of us kids knew that the consequence of doing something really wrong would result (most likely) in a grounding with privileges taken away. The length of the grounding or the amount of privileges taken away (and the amount of time they were taken away) was based on the severity of our poor choices. At the age of five, it was fair for Mom and Dad to have me write 100 times on a piece of paper, "I will not go anywhere without asking Mom or Dad first" as a consequence for going to a friend's house without telling anyone or leaving a note about where I would be. Yes, I said age five. It was a reasonable and fair type of discipline for what I had done. No need for grounding because the sore hand from writing that much was a reminder about what I should not do. It worked.
Some siblings, however, seemed to get in trouble over and over again by making poor choices or falling prey to peer pressure. The consequences of their decisions was different each time and based on the severity of the thing they had done wrong. If more people were affected the grounding (or whatever punishment/consequence ensued) would be more severe. Because I was nearly eight years younger than the rest of my siblings I don't really remember what things they did to get into trouble, but I do remember watching and learning from their mistakes. I saw the struggles they went through, the consequences they had to pay because of those choices, and I made different decisions in my own life to prevent having the same fate. It doesn't mean I'm better or perfect or whatever else you want to label it. It's simply a matter of me being an observer and realizing the consequences they faced were not things I was willing to go through.
Now, I'd like to tie this into something more Church-related that's been bothering me. There has been a lot of press/media lately about women not having the priesthood and why a small group of LDS members think women should have the priesthood. The main word I have seen is "equal" when people discuss the issue. Things such as, "Women are equal to men" and "Men and women are equals" and "God would want us all to be equal" have come up in the conversation about this particular topic. I don't necessarily agree with those statements. I am a woman, not a man, and I don't want to be a man's equal (see "the same as" in above definition) because I'm different than men. As a woman, I have the opportunity to be a vessel through which God brings children into this world. Man can't do that without me, and I can't do that without man. If we were equal (the same) we would have the same parts, the same desires, the same attributes, the same traits, etc. and it would make for a VERY boring world. Part of what makes me (and you!) so distinctive and valued and important is that we're different from everyone else. Nobody else is equal (the same as) me. I am an individual with traits and characteristics that combine to make me the person I am. And thank heavens for that because I don't know that the world could stand to have two people exactly like me!
As an LDS woman, however, I find that the responsibilities, opportunities, and "mission" given by God to His children, both male and female, are completely fair. If I've been given, as a woman, the charge and responsibility to be a vessel for God's spirit children then I don't want (or need!) the priesthood. Men were given the priesthood (in my opinion - gospel according to me) as a way for God to help them become closer to Him since the woman was already designed, created, and empowered in the creation process. My dad always said that he felt women were naturally closer to God because of their divine right to give birth. Some women might not be able to or never have the opportunity of having children in this life, but we were made/created to do just that. I believe that - and not just because my dad said it. I really and truly feel that women have a connection to God that men can never have, except through the power of the priesthood. How would it be fair to God's children to only give women the opportunity to be near Him? As a God of love and mercy, He provided a way or means whereby men could draw near unto Him in a similar (not the same) way that women already naturally did. This makes sense to my mind, my heart, and my soul. It resonates within me, and I in no way want to be equal to men. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father has chosen to find a fair way to help us all reach our best potentials.
I'm sure others will take offense at that and be bothered by those thoughts. That's okay. We each have to come to our own conclusion about things, and that is the conclusion I have reached with women and the priesthood in the LDS Church. I want things to be fair for men and women (that covers the entire human race), and the only way I can see that happening is by allowing men to have the priesthood so they can draw closer to God and connect with God in ways that women inherently do through the process of creation. (And if you've ever studied the miracle of a baby's conception you know what I'm talking about. Good ol' Human and Family Development classes at college were where I first learned and understood about that process in depth.) Science only adds to what I already feel on the topic. It takes a complete miracle for a baby to be conceived. We think it's just run-of-the-mill, every day happenings because the earth has been so generously populated, but if you really understood the miracle that takes place when a child is conceived it would probably blow your mind. The likelihood of NOT conceiving is far, far greater than conceiving. Because I believe God's hand is in the very minute details of our lives, I also believe that creating a baby does not happen by chance. It is God's way of bringing souls to this earth, and it can only happen with a male and a female parent - one more reason we can't be the same or equal. The earth would have died completely if Adam and Eve had been equal (the same). The world would have stopped dead in its tracks and none of us would be here today.
As another example, if we really want to drag out this equal v. fair fight, I might pose to you a situation where those who have murdered others and are now in jail are, for all intents and purposes, our equals. They are still men and women with the same (equal) rights, but because of their behavior and choices they no longer have freedom. Because they have the same (equal) rights, does that mean we open the prison doors and let them out so they can mingle among the population that hasn't killed? (You might say this is drastic, but hear me out.) Those in this situation are still human, so if we're going to be equal under the law they should have the same (equal) rights as I do, right? Well, I go to work every day, earn a living, and am free to do whatever I please. Some would counter by saying that's because I've never killed anyone and that those who are in prison are there because of their actions. This is my point exactly! We pay the consequences for the things we do because it's the FAIR thing to do; it's not the EQUAL thing to do. Life is not equal, and sometimes life isn't even fair, but the Plan of Happiness that God has provided for each of us is incredibly fair for both genders. It is not equal; it is fair. And it is fair because God is fair and merciful and just.
In conclusion, I realize this doesn't cover every aspect of the thoughts that have been so publicized in the media in the past few years. It doesn't even touch the surface of the topic, but it is a small attempt to help others understand why I, as an LDS woman, do not need or want to hold the priesthood. I want to continue on in my differences and appreciate them for what they are - blessings from a loving Heavenly Father that help bring souls into this world. Granted, I am a never married, single woman, but that makes me no less important. I still hold those same attributes as those who have had children, as do all women who have not had children of their own. I have not, and never will be, equal to men (thank goodness!), and I'm more than okay with that. I appreciate that Heavenly Father is fair to all of us and made a way for us to complement one another in ways we don't fully understand or perceive. I'm also glad Heavenly Father knows me from you so that He can fairly give me consequences for my actions and not make me pay for the actions of others. (The second Article of Faith explains this concept.) There's nothing worse than a "flock shooting" where I'm reprimanded or punished for the foolishness of others. And you should be grateful you're only held accountable for what you do and not what I do.
It's a wonderfully designed, perfectly handled, correctly managed plan we're living. I, for one, am grateful it's a fair plan that doesn't bow to equality because I am the one and only me. And I like it that way.
Being young at the time I first heard that, I didn't fully understand what she meant when she said it, but in my mind then I associated equal and fair as the same thing (or similar). In the (many) years since then, I have learned more and more about what Mom meant when she said what she did. For ease of differentiation, I will use the following definitions of equal and fair to (hopefully) explain some things I feel strongly about:
Equal - as great as or the same as
Fair - legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules
(Definitions from www.dictionary.com)
As an adult I've heard Mom say this same thing to others, and she has related it to her children. Some children need more guidance, instruction, hand-holding, support, help, etc. Other children seem to be very independent, make wise choices without much help from parents, understand the consequences of their actions, etc. There is no way she could treat her children equally when their needs were so clearly different. She could always try, however, to treat them fairly. For example, all five of us kids knew that the consequence of doing something really wrong would result (most likely) in a grounding with privileges taken away. The length of the grounding or the amount of privileges taken away (and the amount of time they were taken away) was based on the severity of our poor choices. At the age of five, it was fair for Mom and Dad to have me write 100 times on a piece of paper, "I will not go anywhere without asking Mom or Dad first" as a consequence for going to a friend's house without telling anyone or leaving a note about where I would be. Yes, I said age five. It was a reasonable and fair type of discipline for what I had done. No need for grounding because the sore hand from writing that much was a reminder about what I should not do. It worked.
Some siblings, however, seemed to get in trouble over and over again by making poor choices or falling prey to peer pressure. The consequences of their decisions was different each time and based on the severity of the thing they had done wrong. If more people were affected the grounding (or whatever punishment/consequence ensued) would be more severe. Because I was nearly eight years younger than the rest of my siblings I don't really remember what things they did to get into trouble, but I do remember watching and learning from their mistakes. I saw the struggles they went through, the consequences they had to pay because of those choices, and I made different decisions in my own life to prevent having the same fate. It doesn't mean I'm better or perfect or whatever else you want to label it. It's simply a matter of me being an observer and realizing the consequences they faced were not things I was willing to go through.
Now, I'd like to tie this into something more Church-related that's been bothering me. There has been a lot of press/media lately about women not having the priesthood and why a small group of LDS members think women should have the priesthood. The main word I have seen is "equal" when people discuss the issue. Things such as, "Women are equal to men" and "Men and women are equals" and "God would want us all to be equal" have come up in the conversation about this particular topic. I don't necessarily agree with those statements. I am a woman, not a man, and I don't want to be a man's equal (see "the same as" in above definition) because I'm different than men. As a woman, I have the opportunity to be a vessel through which God brings children into this world. Man can't do that without me, and I can't do that without man. If we were equal (the same) we would have the same parts, the same desires, the same attributes, the same traits, etc. and it would make for a VERY boring world. Part of what makes me (and you!) so distinctive and valued and important is that we're different from everyone else. Nobody else is equal (the same as) me. I am an individual with traits and characteristics that combine to make me the person I am. And thank heavens for that because I don't know that the world could stand to have two people exactly like me!
As an LDS woman, however, I find that the responsibilities, opportunities, and "mission" given by God to His children, both male and female, are completely fair. If I've been given, as a woman, the charge and responsibility to be a vessel for God's spirit children then I don't want (or need!) the priesthood. Men were given the priesthood (in my opinion - gospel according to me) as a way for God to help them become closer to Him since the woman was already designed, created, and empowered in the creation process. My dad always said that he felt women were naturally closer to God because of their divine right to give birth. Some women might not be able to or never have the opportunity of having children in this life, but we were made/created to do just that. I believe that - and not just because my dad said it. I really and truly feel that women have a connection to God that men can never have, except through the power of the priesthood. How would it be fair to God's children to only give women the opportunity to be near Him? As a God of love and mercy, He provided a way or means whereby men could draw near unto Him in a similar (not the same) way that women already naturally did. This makes sense to my mind, my heart, and my soul. It resonates within me, and I in no way want to be equal to men. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father has chosen to find a fair way to help us all reach our best potentials.
I'm sure others will take offense at that and be bothered by those thoughts. That's okay. We each have to come to our own conclusion about things, and that is the conclusion I have reached with women and the priesthood in the LDS Church. I want things to be fair for men and women (that covers the entire human race), and the only way I can see that happening is by allowing men to have the priesthood so they can draw closer to God and connect with God in ways that women inherently do through the process of creation. (And if you've ever studied the miracle of a baby's conception you know what I'm talking about. Good ol' Human and Family Development classes at college were where I first learned and understood about that process in depth.) Science only adds to what I already feel on the topic. It takes a complete miracle for a baby to be conceived. We think it's just run-of-the-mill, every day happenings because the earth has been so generously populated, but if you really understood the miracle that takes place when a child is conceived it would probably blow your mind. The likelihood of NOT conceiving is far, far greater than conceiving. Because I believe God's hand is in the very minute details of our lives, I also believe that creating a baby does not happen by chance. It is God's way of bringing souls to this earth, and it can only happen with a male and a female parent - one more reason we can't be the same or equal. The earth would have died completely if Adam and Eve had been equal (the same). The world would have stopped dead in its tracks and none of us would be here today.
As another example, if we really want to drag out this equal v. fair fight, I might pose to you a situation where those who have murdered others and are now in jail are, for all intents and purposes, our equals. They are still men and women with the same (equal) rights, but because of their behavior and choices they no longer have freedom. Because they have the same (equal) rights, does that mean we open the prison doors and let them out so they can mingle among the population that hasn't killed? (You might say this is drastic, but hear me out.) Those in this situation are still human, so if we're going to be equal under the law they should have the same (equal) rights as I do, right? Well, I go to work every day, earn a living, and am free to do whatever I please. Some would counter by saying that's because I've never killed anyone and that those who are in prison are there because of their actions. This is my point exactly! We pay the consequences for the things we do because it's the FAIR thing to do; it's not the EQUAL thing to do. Life is not equal, and sometimes life isn't even fair, but the Plan of Happiness that God has provided for each of us is incredibly fair for both genders. It is not equal; it is fair. And it is fair because God is fair and merciful and just.
In conclusion, I realize this doesn't cover every aspect of the thoughts that have been so publicized in the media in the past few years. It doesn't even touch the surface of the topic, but it is a small attempt to help others understand why I, as an LDS woman, do not need or want to hold the priesthood. I want to continue on in my differences and appreciate them for what they are - blessings from a loving Heavenly Father that help bring souls into this world. Granted, I am a never married, single woman, but that makes me no less important. I still hold those same attributes as those who have had children, as do all women who have not had children of their own. I have not, and never will be, equal to men (thank goodness!), and I'm more than okay with that. I appreciate that Heavenly Father is fair to all of us and made a way for us to complement one another in ways we don't fully understand or perceive. I'm also glad Heavenly Father knows me from you so that He can fairly give me consequences for my actions and not make me pay for the actions of others. (The second Article of Faith explains this concept.) There's nothing worse than a "flock shooting" where I'm reprimanded or punished for the foolishness of others. And you should be grateful you're only held accountable for what you do and not what I do.
It's a wonderfully designed, perfectly handled, correctly managed plan we're living. I, for one, am grateful it's a fair plan that doesn't bow to equality because I am the one and only me. And I like it that way.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Perspective
This post will probably read as a jumbled mess because I'm not quite sure how to express my thoughts in a clear and concise manner. I've just felt like writing this down for a while, but have put it off until I could make it make sense. Since that still hasn't happened for me yet, I thought I'd go ahead and put it down in writing anyway. I can always edit later, right?
On June 20, 2014 I got some bad news at work and was left feeling uncertain, flabbergasted, and angry. The bad news continued for exactly six months. During that time, I started this blog as a way to recall good, funny, silly memories from my own life that have left an impression on me, helped me in some way, or just brought a smile to my face when I was otherwise sad or unhappy.
Now that the bad news is over and there are good opportunities and people in my life, I have continued to think back on the events of those six months and wonder what the real purpose was in all of that mess. I continually ask myself questions such as, "Did I learn everything I should have?", "Did I behave in a way pleasing to Heavenly Father?", "Is there anything for which I need to repent and make right?", and "Will I ever know in this life the reason(s) this happened?"
I suppose we do that with a lot of situations in our lives. We look back to see what we can learn, what more we can do, and how we can prevent the same bad circumstances from happening again in the future. What I realized, however, is that sometimes we continue to look back (or look back longingly, as Elder Holland explained about Lot's wife) and forget to look forward and prepare for what the future brings.
Personally, I think I ride the line between the past and future pretty well. I'm a hopeful person, so I love to imagine and dream of the things that can be while preparing for what I want. I'm also good about evaluating past choices to prevent myself from making stupid decisions over and over again. Once is enough for me, thank you very much!
I guess what finally made this come to a head was some reports I heard recently on the news. One said something like, "If you haven't made it past the $45,000 per year mark by the time you're 35 statistics say you can plan to never make that much per year when you are past age 35." The other report said something like, "If you aren't wealthy or rich by the time you are 45 you can forget about ever becoming wealthy or rich." One radio news anchor read the report and the other commented, "Well, I guess that depends on how you define wealth or being rich." The news report came right after they had announced that three winners would share a $500 million jackpot from the Powerball lottery. Yes, lady news anchor, I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment.
My thoughts are these: how do we learn to feel rich or wealthy when everything in life is hard, when opportunities either don't exist or don't pan out, and when it seems that everything you do is leading nowhere? It's a monumental task, right? I found that it was. Even the hopeful me found my hope waning in the face of significant adversity that I still believe will impact the rest of my life and the rest of my time as a working individual.
Sometimes it's easy to feel overwhelmed, taxed, exhausted, frustrated, tired, and generally not worth your weight in any kind of metal, not just gold. What I learned during those six terrific and horrible months is that God is kind. Heavenly Father loves us so much. He understands the beginning from the end and really, truly cares about what happens to us. Our Savior, Jesus Christ also cares deeply about us, and His suffering allowed us to only taste of the bad without eating a whole meal of the bad. His understanding about our situations and circumstances is deeper and more profound than we could ever comprehend or even imagine. Maybe our real challenge is simply to continue having hope and faith that the bad events and circumstances end and we find the good again. I know it's possible to do that, but sometimes the road is long, winding, and filled with huge gusts of wind that take your breath away. I think our strength comes in hanging in there for the long haul and sticking with it until the end comes - whenever that is for us.
I'm sure my perspective will continue to change as life moves on and progresses, but for now I'm learning to be happy with the knowledge that Heavenly Father will take care of me and, of course, that our happiness and wealth are all about perspective. Would I have enjoyed winning a third of that $500 million lottery? Sure! That came with the realization that I would donate a lot of it, provide for my family, and use my early retirement to give back to the community through volunteer work. I believe that would be a very happy and wealthy life, but I can have it without the lottery winnings and even without any money at all. It's just perspective.
On June 20, 2014 I got some bad news at work and was left feeling uncertain, flabbergasted, and angry. The bad news continued for exactly six months. During that time, I started this blog as a way to recall good, funny, silly memories from my own life that have left an impression on me, helped me in some way, or just brought a smile to my face when I was otherwise sad or unhappy.
Now that the bad news is over and there are good opportunities and people in my life, I have continued to think back on the events of those six months and wonder what the real purpose was in all of that mess. I continually ask myself questions such as, "Did I learn everything I should have?", "Did I behave in a way pleasing to Heavenly Father?", "Is there anything for which I need to repent and make right?", and "Will I ever know in this life the reason(s) this happened?"
I suppose we do that with a lot of situations in our lives. We look back to see what we can learn, what more we can do, and how we can prevent the same bad circumstances from happening again in the future. What I realized, however, is that sometimes we continue to look back (or look back longingly, as Elder Holland explained about Lot's wife) and forget to look forward and prepare for what the future brings.
Personally, I think I ride the line between the past and future pretty well. I'm a hopeful person, so I love to imagine and dream of the things that can be while preparing for what I want. I'm also good about evaluating past choices to prevent myself from making stupid decisions over and over again. Once is enough for me, thank you very much!
I guess what finally made this come to a head was some reports I heard recently on the news. One said something like, "If you haven't made it past the $45,000 per year mark by the time you're 35 statistics say you can plan to never make that much per year when you are past age 35." The other report said something like, "If you aren't wealthy or rich by the time you are 45 you can forget about ever becoming wealthy or rich." One radio news anchor read the report and the other commented, "Well, I guess that depends on how you define wealth or being rich." The news report came right after they had announced that three winners would share a $500 million jackpot from the Powerball lottery. Yes, lady news anchor, I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment.
My thoughts are these: how do we learn to feel rich or wealthy when everything in life is hard, when opportunities either don't exist or don't pan out, and when it seems that everything you do is leading nowhere? It's a monumental task, right? I found that it was. Even the hopeful me found my hope waning in the face of significant adversity that I still believe will impact the rest of my life and the rest of my time as a working individual.
Sometimes it's easy to feel overwhelmed, taxed, exhausted, frustrated, tired, and generally not worth your weight in any kind of metal, not just gold. What I learned during those six terrific and horrible months is that God is kind. Heavenly Father loves us so much. He understands the beginning from the end and really, truly cares about what happens to us. Our Savior, Jesus Christ also cares deeply about us, and His suffering allowed us to only taste of the bad without eating a whole meal of the bad. His understanding about our situations and circumstances is deeper and more profound than we could ever comprehend or even imagine. Maybe our real challenge is simply to continue having hope and faith that the bad events and circumstances end and we find the good again. I know it's possible to do that, but sometimes the road is long, winding, and filled with huge gusts of wind that take your breath away. I think our strength comes in hanging in there for the long haul and sticking with it until the end comes - whenever that is for us.
I'm sure my perspective will continue to change as life moves on and progresses, but for now I'm learning to be happy with the knowledge that Heavenly Father will take care of me and, of course, that our happiness and wealth are all about perspective. Would I have enjoyed winning a third of that $500 million lottery? Sure! That came with the realization that I would donate a lot of it, provide for my family, and use my early retirement to give back to the community through volunteer work. I believe that would be a very happy and wealthy life, but I can have it without the lottery winnings and even without any money at all. It's just perspective.
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