Since Sunday I started to track myself to visually see how I was doing with certain things I've wanted to accomplish. It started with just making sure I pray every morning and night, and read my scriptures everyday. Then I started to mark in a separate Book of Mormon each reference to the Atonement and example of showing love for family, or showing what Love and Charity really means. It's been insightful. So far I've found one page that didn't talk show love - it could have been that I was too tired for insight, it could have been there really wasn't something. But I've learned a lot. Love, Charity and the Atonement are so intertwined that to truly live one, we inevitably live all. Now I also have charts to mark where I've read in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Bible (New Testament and Old Testament separate). Over the time of just one week I've realized a greater light and spirit in my life. The prophet Alma tells his son that it is by small and simple things that great things happen (1). It's amazing how true this is. What a blessing we have to just do little things and see miracles unfold.
Yesterday was my final day working with an afterschool program. Oh how I love and adore those children. I think back to the first day I started. It was so rainy and so hard to remember so many names! Over the course of the year there were times that I was amazed how dramatic some of these children could be. But at the end of the day it was not hard to see the divine nature within these wonderful children. They have such incredible potential for life. While there were numerous examples, one that I thought of was Chris. He came in the last session with such crazy hair, and a personality to match. Toward the end, for about two or three weeks he would ask me if I was a tweep or a qwatawatawoo. I would try to come up with different answers all the time, but in the end he and his friends would always inch toward me saying that they love to eat (whatever my response was). It was fascinating to see that his friends had already come for the whole year, but when he came in, it wasn't hard for him to have a following. Over time three boys seemed to flock to him - even if not as much to each other, but certainly to him. I thought about maybe why this was the case.
My answer?
There was no doubt he was a true friend that would always be inviting and happy to see them. With all his unique quirks and appearance that may not be accepted as "cool", HE knew who he was. He enjoyed his life and was happy to accept those who wanted to join in his never-ending craziness. It was always a joy to see him. I strongly believe he will be one of those people to always have the admiration of quality people. Indeed, I feel he has one of those personalities to do amazing things in life.
What blessings we have all around us!! It never ends if we will be open to the blessings! There are those rare personalities that we are just drawn to because they are incredible. It is my hope that we can always appreciate them for what they are, one of the greatest tender mercies we have. Because these are the people who help us remember who we are, where we are going, and why we are going there. These people help us to remember how to keep our feet on the ground, and never forget the joy we can have in the little details of life.
1. Alma 37:6
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