The Perfect Day!!!

Perfect, meaning whole or complete... a day filled with a plethora of emotion. Pangs of sorrow and feelings of loss so deep they penetrated my whole soul... but without the sorrow I would not fully understand or appreciate the joy. Had I never experienced bitter tears or saddness, grief or seperation I would have no frame of reference to know love, peace, joy or eternal life.

Strength...
If I were to have torn a page from the perfect day it would be adorned with these faces, these emotions and the stories that go along with each. The following picture is me with my sister-in-law Laurel and personifies strength. Pure, unadulterated strength. A strength that we have attained as we consistently fought back against the pressures, pains and losses of the past few years.

Solidarity...
There is nothing better in the world than a true friend. Someone who sees you for who you really are and still loves you. A true friend does not reinforce you in your weakness; rather, inspires in you a greater desire to come unto Christ, and by Him be enabled to cultivate greater faith, hope and charity. (Ether 12:27-27) Each person in this picture has increased my joy and laughter and love for life. And yes...even made me love Texas...or at least Texans ;)


Family...
A group of people you walk with through life and learn more with and from than anyone else. Our family has faced innumerable trials together, but I can honestly say that through it all, and possibly even because of it all, I have come to appreciate certain things about each one of them. We are very diverse--from religious views, to opinions on life--we cover just about every span of the spectrum, but I love each person in my family. I know that we have each dealt with opposition in very different ways, but today we came together and took steps toward healing relationships and over-looking differences of opinion. I love my family and appreciated so much them being there with me; afterall, what would forever be like without those we love the most?

Service...
So many of the people that came out to support were motivated by love and selfless service. There were people from every phase of my life...the neighborhood I grew up in, BHS, mission companions, people from Washington, friends from Florida, from UCMT, from BYU, roommates, a girl I met at the gym, and even people from the BYU student ward I have lived in for 2 weeks! I can probably never repay them for their kindness this week, but I promise to try everyday to be better than the day before, and incorporate their example into my actions and treat others with the compassion they have shown me.

Life truly is beautiful. Whether it be in the faces of those around me, or the beauty of a sunrise, or the emotions that well in my heart when I see another suffer and long for them to find comfort--the hand of God is revealed so personally and privately to me each day that I know he knows who I am and that through Him, each day can be complete--until that great day when we shall see Him and be like Him and as such shall know a fullness of joy!