Every, Every Minute

The last few days have been a bit difficult for me. I have had way more things to be grateful for than I had to be upset about but I was upset. I did not focus on the positive. I wallowed in my bad mood. I had happy moments - don't get me wrong. I was just having a hard time choosing to be happy. Today was another day where I was upset.

I was tired when I woke up this morning so I didn't want to go to school. My ride to Salt Lake was late picking me up. There was traffic on the freeway. I was tired in class, so it was all I could do to just write down the bare minimum of what the professor was talking about. I left my backpack in the class after it was over so I had to go back to get it. On top of all of that, on the way to get the car registered, it ran out of gas. This is the second time in three weeks my ride's car ran out of gas! At least this time it wasn't on the freeway. I got out and ran and pushed. The owner of the vehicle also got out and ran and pushed while he steered the car. Three gentlemen ran up and helped us push the car about a mile down the road. I tell you what, if you need a good workout... push a car while running for about a mile. It tears your lungs apart! That's exactly what it did. When we finally got gas in the car, the owner couldn't hold in whatever he had for breakfast and I followed suit about ten minutes later. I took the owner home to his apartment so he could rest while I took his car and went to class. The key got stuck in the ignition. I could NOT get the key out. I was so frustrated. I ended up leaving the keys in the ignition while I went in for class.

That's when my whole outlook changed. Today was devotional day in Concert Choir. I sat back, arms folded, ready for anything.. ha. Her devotional was on finding joy in the journey. It was based off of President Monson's talk with the same title. The first story she told was this, "Some of you may be familiar with Thornton Wilder’s classic drama Our Town. If you are, you will remember the town of Grover’s Corners, where the story takes place. In the play Emily Webb dies in childbirth, and we read of the lonely grief of her young husband, George, left with their four-year-old son. Emily does not wish to rest in peace; she wants to experience again the joys of her life. She is granted the privilege of returning to earth and reliving her 12th birthday. At first it is exciting to be young again, but the excitement wears off quickly. The day holds no joy now that Emily knows what is in store for the future. It is unbearably painful to realize how unaware she had been of the meaning and wonder of life while she was alive. Before returning to her resting place, Emily laments, “Do … human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?”

It definitely helps that the main character's name is Emily. That story spoke right to my heart. I have been so ungrateful lately. I need to stop, relax, and experience life in the moment. After she gave that devotional, I was holding a drink in my hand during our warmup in choir. It started vibrating because of the sounds that the basses were making. It was awesome.

Let me start over with my day. This morning, I was tired because I had such a fun time laughing with my roommates last night. I have a ride to Salt Lake that takes me every week. I left my backpack in the classroom because my hands were full of a gift someone had given me in class. When we got the car registered, I stopped and played with the cutest puppies I've ever seen in my life. When our car ran out of gas, three gentlemen came and pushed and ran with the owner and I. What a blessing! Today really has been an incredibly blessed day. I am so grateful for today.

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now." (President Monson)