Christmas Wishes to You

As this will be my last post for 2012, I would just like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and

a Happy New Year.  Thank you to those who continue to visit this blog, leave comments and feedback (often in person,) and motivate me to keep writing.  My next post will be in about 3 weeks.

In the meantime, may you love and be loved.  May you hold close those dearest to you, whether in your arms or in your hearts.  And may we all remember the birth of our Savior throughout this Christmas season.

Best holiday wishes and a fun, safe New Year to you all.

Prayers for Newtown...

I have already commented on Friday's tragedy several times on my other blog, but my heart remains heavy as pictures of the little victims have started to be released.

As predicted, the issue of gun control has already arisen.  I heard another person say they think that the school should be demolished and a memorial put in its place.  (I do not agree with that idea at all.)  Others have talked about turning off Christmas lights and putting away decorations in the wake of what happened because celebrating seems so inappropriate.

To me, most of these ideas give power to the gunman and to Fear, which is not what we want to do.  Focus on the identities of the victims and their families, yes.  Don't watch too much news footage or give status (however negative) to the the gunman's name, also yes.

We continue to attempt to make sense of the senseless. We look for reasons why these things occur and why innocent lives were taken too soon.  We don't like accepting that horrible random things just happen to those who don't deserve it.  

I am trying to keep it simple.  No more news, a healing heart, and moving forward.  Thank goodness that I have that luxury. 

Remembering the Grandparents...

Today my mom sent me the picture above, of my niece and nephew on either side of my grandparents' grave.  The email subject was "remembering the Titos," because we called them Tito and Tita.  They both passed away in 2008.  My grandpa in March at age 97 and my grandma in July at age 90.  They had been married 66 years.

In another blog post on my other site I wrote an entry called The Blessings of Family.  And it is true, family is such a blessing.  At least mine is. 

I love that my mom takes my niece and nephew to visit their great-grandparents at the cemetery, that she talks of them often and makes them come alive in their world. My nephew only met my grandpa the day before he passed away, and my niece never had a chance to meet them.  But knowing the sensitivity of children and the huge presence that my grandparents were in our lives, visiting their grave site isn't creepy or morbid for us. It is just the best we can do for now until we are all together again. 

The Road Signs of Life...

There is something I heard the other day that was so profound, I cannot stop thinking about it.  What is even more amazing is that this concept was created and explained by a young child.
It was at church on Sunday, where we were having our monthly testimony meeting.  It is a chance for anyone to go up to the podium and share a spiritual experience and their feelings about the Lord's role in their life.  As the time was coming to a close, the son of some friends (age 8 or 9) took a turn.  And this is what he said:

I think of us as cars on a road.  There are all of these signs pointing us in the right direction and telling us what we need to do.  That is the Gospel.  And there are all of these ditches and cracks in the road trying to throw us off.  That is the Adversary.  And if we just follow the signs and directions and watch out for the ditches and cracks, we'll find our way back to our Heavenly Father.

Is that not one of the best explanations for living a good life you've ever heard?  I was awestruck at this child's wisdom.  His mother was sitting right in front of me and I asked her where he had heard this.  She didn't know.  His sincerity and earnestness seemed to indicate that it was something he had thought of himself.

I have been thinking about it for the last two days in relation to decisions I have made in my life.  I can, happily, say that I have not made any really bad life-altering choices.  But there are times in my life where I have been stubborn or prideful and there have been consequences.  There were signs pointing in the right direction which I chose not to follow and this particular car hit a few ditches instead.

Looking back, I cannot really see myself doing anything differently.  The person I am today is a culmination of all my experiences.  But I can think of times in my life when I could have been happier, more productive, and more selfless.  If I have any regrets, it is knowing that those moments are gone and cannot be undone.

Fortunately, the road is far from over.  I would like to think that age and experience is bringing clarity as those situations may present themselves again.  Next time I will pay better attention to the signs along the way.