So I've been thinking a lot this past week, about a lot of things. I was feeling a little stressed, weighed down and really busy. Then a week ago I heard the news about Robert and everything changed. Why? Because my perspective changed. Suddenly the things that had seemed hard and heavy in my life didn't look like such a big deal anymore, because my husband wasn't in the hospital fighting for life! One of my favorite talks from conference this past October was Pres. Monson's talk titled Finding Joy in the Journey. My favorite quote from that talk is:
Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”
I've been thinking about this quote for months now. The different meanings it has and how exactly to apply it to my life. The application has been the tricky part, because it is not something that I do. No it has to be applied to thought and emotion. I have realized this past week that this quote is simply talking about my perspective. How I choose to perceive things. Do I see life as hard? Or do I see life as Joyful? I has to be applied to my thinking, the way I see things!
I taught my laurels a lesson on Finding Joy Now this past Sunday. It was so interesting teaching it only two days after Robert going back into the hospital. I realized that no matter what our circumstances this quote is still true. Robert and Ashley are such an amazing example of finding the joy in their experiences. They laugh at the funny things Robert says when he is 'high' on pain meds, or revel in the love and support from family and friends. We really can always choose to see the joy and good in each situation in our life.
So for me, suddenly this week I felt lighter. Nothing changed. I still have the same to do list I did a week ago, in fact it is growing with fundraising things to do too! I still have the same challenges and busyness in my life. It just all looks so different to me. I've learned a little more deeply and clearly what it means to tend the secret garden of abundance in my life. I think abundance might really be rose colored glasses, of sorts anyway! And for that I am grateful!
*Robert is doing well today. He is still having some pain, but don't you worry--he was sent home with a prescription for that. His last test in the hospital showed that the C-diff was gone, but he is still an antibiotic for that too (RobDob and his doctors show now mercy for villians like C-diff, even when you get the TKO--just keep kicking the guy while he's down and make sure he stays down!) Robert is loving his solid foods. While on a liquid diet for 48 hours in the hospital he was heard to say, "no one should be made to eat only jello and popsicles!" His favorite food of the day was waffles dipped in syrup (Robdob dips all his breakfast foods, so they don't get soggy!) He is happy to be home and is resting up and taking it easy!
No comments:
Post a Comment