A Little Bit About Family

This post is dedicated to my father, whom I love dearly and has always been my hero.

It's amazing how, in life, often you find yourself on the brink of giving up. You've done everything you thought you could; you've reached the limit of what you know how to accomplish; and you can't, no matter how much thinking and pondering you do, figure out the next step to take. Some people are good at handling themselves and staying positive in these kinds of situations. I envy them. I am not one of them.

However, time and time again when I find myself on the verge of just saying "Screw it!" I'm reminded of something that I tend to take for granted: I have an amazing family that loves me and watches out for me. Over and over just when I'm in need of a pick-me-up, or in need of guidance and direction, or in need of a kick in the behind to get going again, my family has been there for me. Sometimes it's the random happy birthday call from a sister, or a brother stepping up and organizing a family get-together to say "We love you, and we want you to know how special you are to us." Every time I can think of where I've really felt lost, felt like I had nowhere forward to go, my family has been there to interject the perfect amount of wisdom or experience or warning to help me get through what I was unable  to accomplish myself.

Each of us has a family of some sort. Each of us has a different situation with our family. My family is nowhere near perfect. But I think the definition of family is people who are there for you when you need them, no matter what you're going through or have done in the past, and no matter what they're going through or have done in the past. In my last blog post I talked about friends, and they are, truly, family to me. But they cannot replace the incredible family that I have been born into.

I have been blessed with wonderful parents. They have taught me valuable things and never cease to provide wisdom and guidance at the right moments. Their example in their marriage and the way they live life is an unending source of strength to me. My mom has an incredible ability to recognize and find joy in the many tender mercies she finds herself blessed with throughout life. We have not always had everything life could give us, and yet my mom always has a way of seeing wonderful and joyful things on a day to day basis that make home a happy and wonderful place to be. My dad is a rock of strength and wisdom. He's not the most expressive person. He doesn't always give voice to his thoughts and opinions. But no matter what I've been going through, whether he approved of my actions or disapproved, I've always been able to go to him and ask for advice and guidance. Ever since I was little I can always remember being able to ask him questions about anything, big or small. If he didn't know the answer, he would point me in the right direction to obtain the answer myself. There has never been a day that I doubted his love for me, and his example is something I will always look up to.

I am blessed with wonderful siblings. They've all been through different things. They all see the world in different ways. Some days they teach me more than others, but I learn so much from them and gain so much from their examples. My place in the family as the "Runt," the little brother that was a surprise to them all, is something I enjoy and cherish. As they each see things in a different way, they shed light on different aspects in my life in their own ways, and together without often even knowing their combined influence, they provide a light for me that I would be lost without.

Not everyone is blessed with a family like mine. For some people, their family is one of the biggest struggles they face. If you are one of these people, I understand where you find yourself, and my heart goes out to you. But this post is, I feel, specifically meant for you. You especially are the ones that must be reminded that family is a treasure to be valued above all else in the world. No matter what the situation is, no matter the troubles you have with your family, there is hope. The gospel heals all wounds. Your actions and decisions affect your family more than anyone else in your life. Seek to choose the right, do your best to live up to the expectations of your Father in Heaven, and partake of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to refine yourself and become a better person, and you will feel and see the effects it will have on your family. Whether it will change the hearts and minds of your loved ones around you, or will lead you towards the opportunity to start a righteous and wonderful family of your own, the blessings of the Gospel will be impossible to miss in your life and in your family.

I am forever grateful to my family, and I only hope that I will be able to be as much of a strength and example to them as they are to me. 

Again I leave you with the best of wishes, and I leave you with my humble reminder: The simple and most important things in life are often right there, hiding in plain sight right in front of us, awaiting only our acknowledgement that they are indeed what make our lives truly grand.

The Beginning: Friendship

This my first post is dedicated to Stephanie, a dear friend.

Okay I'm not going to even come close to lying. This blog is starting because of two things: the first being that a wonderful friend of mine promised that if I started a blog she'd read it; the second is that the same friend wrote an amazing blog that I'm really appreciative of and so I feel a certain need to get revenge on her!

So I'm going to start off by stating a very important fact; something that must not be forgotten UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES no matter how long I wind up keeping this blog going and how much I write. I am a very simple guy with very simple tastes and even simpler expectations and needs from life. I'm not looking to show off my knowledge or awe anyone with my writing. If you walk away from this blog feeling uplifted and maybe a little bit inspired, then I have done my job.

Now with all of that said, my intentions with this blog are simple and straightforward. I'm a bit of a dufus, and quite often find myself missing what's right in front of my face. So just in case there are other people out there that suffer from the same problem, I'm going to try to keep a bit of a record here of things I've realized were right in front of my face. I'm going to try to point out the simple and wonderful things in my life that are important to me and bring me happiness in the hopes that maybe anyone else reading this will be reminded of the things that they have forgotten about or taken for granted. Perhaps you can learn from my mistakes and you won't have to spend as much time as I have, miserable for no better reason than that you weren't looking hard enough at how wonderful your life was.

So where to start? I've learned so much, in the last few months even, about my life and what I'm appreciate of, but I think the best place to begin and certainly what has become absolutely most important to me is the people around me. When you realize that there are people around you that you love and that love you right back, no matter how much you deserve to be punched in the face due to sheer lack of sense, life becomes quite a bit brighter. And you realize that no matter what you're going through, it'll all be okay because you have people that are going to be there with you through thick and thin and a little tiny bit further beyond that. These are the people that will come give you a hug when you really need one, with get angry with you at someone or something who has slighted you, and who will lovingly say "You know, dear, you're really being kinda stupid" when you most need to hear it.

I have a wonderful group of friends. Every day they all, each and every one of them, find new ways to inspire me and teach me new things about myself and the world around me. Some of them I've known for a very long time; others I have only recently enjoyed getting to know. But one thing I'm certain of is that it doesn't matter how long you know someone, when they love you and you love them, you're going to be friends for life. I'm so grateful for the people I have around that I know I will be able to count on for the rest of my life, and even beyond into the eternities. I have lost count of the number of times that one of them has said something, even something silly or seemingly unimportant, that has touched me or made me think about things differently and changed me in ways that are irrevocable. Without these people in my life, I would be truly lost. To all of my beloved friends out there, whether you wind up reading this or not, I send you my love and infinite gratitude. I don't know what road lies ahead for me or you, but I smile at the thought that no matter what road it is or what direction it leads, we'll get to experience it together.

To those of you who have a close group of friends, don't ever let it slip away. Do whatever needs to be done to keep it tight. Mend any rifts, forgive any wrongs, and hog-tie any stragglers and bring them back to the fold. Love is the foundation for everything. Through the love you share with your friends, your joy will grow more and more full, and you will look more and more towards the source of all that is good, a loving and kind Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

To those of you who don't have such a group of friends and people that you feel love you and enjoy your love... there's still good news. You have a Heavenly Father who loves you. He loves you infinitely, more than anyone in this world will ever be able to match. He loves you so much he sent His Son to atone for all of your flaws and mistakes and foibles. He sent His Son to be there to comfort you, and to lead and guide you. I bear my firm witness that as you seek to follow the Lord, he will lead you towards happiness, and he will help you find the people that you need in your life, and that may need you just as much. 

This is my testimony tonight as I close this post. I have lived and experienced the road that the Savior would have us walk to change our lives and turn misery and despair into happiness and joy. As you look for the simple and wonderful things in life, look to your friends and loved ones. Their influence will affect your life forever, and through them and the love you share with them you will find a better life and a happier existence.

Until we find our paths crossing again, I wish you the best, and remind you to always remember that the simple and most important things in life are often right there, hiding in plain sight right in front of us, awaiting only our acknowledgement that they are indeed what makes our lives truly grand.