This podcast has a wonderful host, she is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Her podcast has some amazing spiritual and uplifting stories.
This may be a bold statement….to say that something is life-changing, but I can tell you it’s true.
I had a moment to reflect on this today, at the post office of all places.
Now understand, I have never been treated rudely or poorly at the post office. However, usually things are rushed and the workers are trying to hurry to get to the next customer and it’s just a quick transaction and nothing more.
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However, today was different.
I was the only person in line, and perhaps that helped.
But I must say, it was so refreshing to have a light—nice conversation with the worker helping me at the post office.
He told me he hoped I was having a good day, and then we talked about the weather—and how the massive snowstorm had effected the postal service trucks from getting places on time.
We were cheerful and nice to one another.
It was simple and easy.
And it made me think…wouldn’t being “nice” be life-changing to the world?
I myself, as we all do, have gone through some challenging times… and when people are rude and inconsiderate, it tends to cut deeper when life is already hard.
However, on the flip side… when ours days have been tough and hard, having someone be NICE is so uplifting and rewarding.
And most the time, it’s not hard to be nice.
It’s quite easy to talk kindly and considerate to others.
Yes, I truly believe, that being “nice” can be life-changing.
You never know how one simple act of kindess can change the course of a human life.
So why not try and be as kind, considerate, and as nice as possible?
God wants us to try every day to be a bit better, but if we fall short, we haven’t lost all of our chances.
I love this quote from Brother Wilcox’s talk that says ” Some mistakenly receive the message that they are not worthy to participate fully in the gospel because they are not completely free of bad habits. God’s message is that worthiness is not flawlessness.”
What a wonderful reminder to keep trying, have the goal and mindset to do your best! And even when we fall short, remember that “worthiness is not flawlessness.”
Also, I write this for you and for myself, remember to forgive yourself when you mess up, and move on.
Dwelling in our past mistakes and issues, never truly helps us move forward.
I hope you know how much Heavenly Father loves us. He always has and He always will.
When I asked my 6 year old son what he has learned about Easter he said “Easter Isn’t Just About the Eggs and Bunny, it’s About Christ’s Resurrection.”
My heart was happy knowing that there was a deeper meaning to Easter.
A deeper meaning that impacts all of us.
Christ’s atonement, His crucifixion, He suffered greatly for each one of us.
Why?
Because He loves us.
Our family this Easter Sunday
He had all power to stop his pain and suffering, and yet, He knew he had to endure the deepest and enduring pain and anguish… so that through His atonement we can have the chance to live with Him again.
And yes, we know our Savior was resurrected. He lives.
He continues to be there for us all if we but reach for him.
Yes Easter is much, much more than eggs and bunnies, it’s about remembering our Savior Jesus Christ. Remembering that he suffered for us all, and that He lives again.
Happy Easter to all!
And my hope is that we remember this often, not just on Easter.
As I write this post, I write it to remind myself, that despite all the difficulties and stressors around us, God wants us to have joy in life!
I have always loved this quote by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf:
This quote reminds us that there is light and happiness to be found in EVERYTHING, even those things that are hard.
In 2019, I had my sweet baby girl 5 weeks early due to a heart complication called WPW. Baby girl was fragile and small, and was on medicine around the clock to keep her heart in check.
I was nervous and scared in having to care for this sweet baby girl with monitors and oxygen on her at all times.
Just 5 months later after my baby was born, the world shut down due to the pandemic of Covid 19. The same week of Covid, here in Salt Lake, we experienced a 5.7 earthquake!
Stress settled in, fear took over my heart.
And I had my husband who was constantly reminding me to have “faith over fear.” And even more, my little kids were there to remind me that there is joy to be found in all the hardships we were in.
(below a picture of my cute kids during 2020 ages 4, 2, 6 months.)
Despite the difficulties through the year of 2020, my kids enjoyed building forts, driving past the cattle farms, coloring pictures, FaceTiming family….the list goes on.
Yes, my sweet little toddlers and baby reminded me that we truly are created to have joy. It’s inevitable that we will suffer trials and hardships. And yet, our Heavenly Father does not want us to wallow in our struggles.
Heavenly Father is just like any parent and wants us to enjoy all the moments of life that we can.
I am so thankful for this constant reminder in life.
Even more, I am grateful for sweet children who remind me to smile, have fun, and to enjoy life.
So I left off letting you know that I had met Brad at a birthday party…when I asked a mutual friend about him she said he wasn’t the “settling down type.” Which I still wasn’t sold on.
I did make sure to facebook stock him and think “he’s a cute guy.”
And that was that.
Life moved on.
I was finishing my last year of grad school while teaching full time and life was busy!
Fall of 2013 was full of planning my final thesis paper which would be due in the next 8 months, and I had many projects and papers to read in the mean time.
At this point in life, I was going on dates, but I hand’t met “the one,” and I knew at this point in my life, I needed to focus on finishing my degree…while still making sure to be a successful middle school teacher.
My social life had changed quite a bit.
I worked from 7am-3 pm, drove home to relax for an hour. Then would start studying or doing homework for a few hours, I’d hit the gym, eat dinner, then the same thing the next day.
Me with my dad on a trip to Canada Summer of 2013
On Wednesday I would go straight from work to Weber State University for classes until 10 pm.
Life was going along just fine.
And I had somewhat forgotten about the cute boy I met at the birthday party months ago.
Until…..
One Sunday, I had gone to church and there was a new girl in our ward.
I had only had this happen one other time in my life.
But I had such a STRONG feeling that this girl needed to be my friend.
Call me crazy, but I was drawn to her.
She was kind, she was beautiful and sweet, and very intelligent.
At the time my logical brain said “Christy you can hardly hang out with the friends you have, between work and grad school.”
However, I couldn’t shake that this awesome girl, was meant to be a good friend.
And sure enough, this new friend Whitney, became one of my dearest friends.
We clicked. There was no drama, she was kind and easy to get along with.
We had a lot of things in common and it was just a nice “break” to be around her.
My friend’s name was Whitney, and little did I know that being her friend would make such a big impact in my life.
She is still a dear friend to this day….and because of her, I officially met my husband.
Moral of the story, don’t shake those feelings or promptings you have.
God is in the details and He is always looking out for us in so many ways.
I will admit, I wish I had learned this life-lesson earlier.
However, now that I have learned this amazing lesson, I do look at the world differently. I look at the world with empathy in my heart, even if it starts with anger, I can find the empathy I need now.
So you ask what is that life lesson that has changed me?
Here it is: “People behave the way they do because of circumstances they have endured in life.”
To explain in more detail.
When you meet someone who is rude, or insecure, or who gossips a lot about others and points fingers.
At first it’s easy to think “well that’s just a rude person, I don’t care to be around them.”
And yet, you haven’t scratched the surface.
Because, people don’t act “rude” just to act “rude.”
Something in their life has created that “rude and unkind” disposition.
Perhaps this “rude” person dealt with neglect, abuse, abandonement, loneliness, or perhaps they were bullied, shunned, the list goes on….
How did I learn this?
Through observing a lot of situations in my life, and from my experience teaching school for many years.
Knowing that there is a deeper meaning behind peoples behaviors does not excuse the fact that we can feel “hurt” by them when someone is unkind to us.
However, at the end of the day…there is “always more to the story.”
If we only knew what others had gone through, we somehow find a place of empathy for that person.
Somehow you develop a sense of heartbrokenness for that person, because you know that there must have been something in life that “hurt” them, and they haven’t quite dealt with it. Instead they have taken out their “hurt” on the world around them.
And yes, sometimes you might be that person that gets the brunt of their “mean behavior.”
Now I am by no means allowing anyone to be abusive to you or to be a toxic influence …I believe anything abusive or toxic is firmly unhealthy to be around.
However, I am portraying the reminder that life has dealt us all a hard hand at some point…some more than others, and some to the degree where they are left to live a life of “rudeness” to deal with all the loss and heart ache in their personal lives.
Perhaps you knew this, perhaps you needed the reminder, and perhaps you didn’t.
But at the end of the day I am reminded that our Savior Jesus Christ will look at all our wrong-doings, and he will look at all our hardships and see that often times, our poor behaviors and bad choices came from the devastations dealt in life…. and at that, our Savior shows us mercy, empathy and love beyond measure.
And perhaps, we too, can look at someone’s “rude” actions, and find empathy knowing that at some point in their life, their heartache created so much hurt that they could not escape the rudeness and negativity that encompasses their life….and somehow we can reach down to our merciful area in our hearts and find empathy rather than frustration for that person.
It’s not easy, it’s not meant to be easy. The Savior is the ultimate example of finding love amongst those that ridiculed him.
I hope to always apply this lesson in life because quite frankly, it can make a hard situation melt into a loving scenario.
Not always, but often times it can strengthen relations and bridge gaps in friendships.
