As I look back, I can see that our lives have been a series of milestones. Skipping over the numerous landmark events that occurred as we grew into adulthood, there were many adventures along the way. Our engagement era was fraught with life-changing moments. Kennon had graduated from ISU, and was adjusting to life after serving a mission in Japan. My family had moved to yet another new area (we moved 8 times while I was growing up), I graduated from Ricks College, and developed a lovely character building condition known as Type 1 diabetes. Kennon and I met, fell in love, and married a few months later in the Logan Temple.
We gutted a small local home and after replacing carpet, painting walls, etc. claimed our first abode. About a year and a half later we welcomed our first child into our midst. Three months later, my father passed away. Three years after that, we buried my husband's father. In between we lost a plethora of other relatives, welcomed a second son into our clan, and built a new home.
The list goes on. More deaths, births, family weddings, life changing callings, and health challenges. While my husband slaved away at a job he didn't always care for to provide a comfortable living for our family, I did my best to help raise our 3 sons and keep the home fires burning. I stumbled into the writing world in the middle of all of that which gave me a chance to help out with little things like braces, family trips, etc.
The years passed quickly and before we knew it, our sons were growing up. Now they were heading off to college, experiencing mission life, and starting families of their own. So it goes. I've heard life described as a giant circle. In some ways, that is an apt description. We pick up where our parents left off, and continue the mortal saga. In turn, our children do the same. And through it all, time passes much too fast. As we squeeze precious grandchildren, we wonder where the years went. Wasn't it just yesterday when we were squeezing our own children?
I remember hearing the advice to savor each day--and make the most of the time we have. In literally the blink of an eye, things change. One minute we're fretting over getting to work or sending kids off to school, and then we're taking care of our parents and preparing for our retirement years. One day we'll find ourselves on the other side of the veil, wondering where the time went. And from what I understand, eternal time is reckoned in a different fashion. We'll be shown that we were only gone scant minutes from our heavenly home. Some of us may exclaim, "No way!!! I was only gone 10 minutes . . . and I did all of that?" Hopefully that statement won't be followed by an exclamation of "Oops!!! My bad!!!" ;)
In short, mortal mode is a probationary time of learning and growing, and in the wise words of my paternal grandmother, "You never know when you're going to be hit with a pop quiz." We take each day as it comes, and do our best. That's all our Heavenly Parents ever expected of us. We are following in Their footsteps, trying to emulate Their example. Our Elder Brother showed us the way--we have but to look to His standards of living to know what we're supposed to be doing in this mortal sphere. And someday, when it's all said and done, we'll find out it never is. ;) I fully believe that we will continue to grow and learn after we graduate from this life. There is no such thing as eternal retirement. I'm just sayin; . . .
So here's to life . . . and the whirlwind that accompanies it. As we continue from one adventure to another, may we pause to reflect on all that really matters, and ignore the stuff that doesn't. That is the secret to finding peace and happiness in today's crazy world.
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