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| El Paso, Texas |
Last week my sister Stephanie made a comment to me that has stuck with me. She reminded me of a saying that "Everywhere you go is someone's hometown, so be kind." The reason this impressed me is that Stephanie lives this saying so well. Throughout the last 20 years, Stephanie has lived in Indiana, Pennsylvania (that is actually the city's name); Taylorsville, Murray, West Jordan (all in Utah); for a few weeks in London, England; Peachtree City, Georgia; Montgomery, Alabama; and now El Paso, Texas.
Other than London, I'm sure that none of these locations were foremost on Steph's list of places to live in at some point during her life. Indiana, PA, where Steph did her doctoral work, was a small college town far away from home, and the first couple of years she lived there without a car. Without family around her, she had to rely on the members of her small branch and her friends and colleagues in graduate school. I'm pretty sure there were people murdered in or near the apartment complex that she lived in in Taylorsville. Murray and West Jordan were much nicer, but probably still had their share of problems. Peachtree City was a beautiful little city filled with golf carts, but no family other than her husband John. Similarly, Montgomery, Alabama was far away from home, has terrible humidity, and its fair share of ghetto away from the Air Force Base. And El Paso is a desert that I know most Texans refuse to claim.
In short, all of these places have had their challenges and downsides. But one of the things that I love about my sister is that she finds people and places of beauty wherever she goes. In Pennsylvania, she found lifelong friends and spots that she couldn't wait to share with her family when we visited. In Taylorsville, she got involved in classes and other things that brought some joy into otherwise difficult circumstances. In Murray and West Jordan, she kept going, kept dating, kept hoping for blessing, and kept active in the Church and the rest of life until she found her good husband. And then she stayed patient through the challenges of a long distance relationship, when it may have seemed easier to give up at times. When I visited her and her husband in Georgia, she showed me around her little city with the same enthusiasm with which she is going to show me London next year. Whether it was the markets or the lake or the wooded areas and beautiful homes around the lake, she loved it and she treated it as a wonderful place that, for that moment, was her home. Similarly in both Alabama and Texas, she has found little places of beauty where she can go hiking or get involved to make the world around her a better place.
So often in our lives, "the course of human events" brings us to places and moments that we may not entirely love. We may find ourselves living in a ghetto apartment on Redwood Road in Salt Lake City. Or, perhaps we may be living in the most beautiful city we've ever seen, but the surrounding events of our lives leave us feeling lost and alone and hoping for better and more beautiful days. In "all these things" (D&C 122:7) we will find and see whatever we look for. We can find despair in the most blessed of circumstances if that is what we are looking for. Or, we can find beauty in the most destitute of circumstances if we will look for it. So much depends upon the decision that we make within our hearts as to what we will see. I hope that I will do a better job of following my sister's example, because no matter where she has been, she has found beauty and blessings. May we all do likewise.
Brett
I'm not going to lie -- when I first read this post yesterday I was in tears. I am humbled at your words, Brett, and so grateful that you were thinking of me. It's been a challenging week and I needed this lift and reminder to find beauty in my surroundings and look for the tender mercies the Lord sends me.
ReplyDeleteI really have come to love something about each of the places where I've lived in the past 20 years. Even though some of them have -- ahem! -- been less than ideal, I refuse to be scared or intimidated by my surroundings. Cautious, of course (ergo my close encounter with Mr. Snake last week!), but I can't allow myself to be afraid in my own home. Fear is such a powerful emotion and while it can be the much-needed voice of warning, at other times it can be the voice of crippling doubt.
At times like those, I call on the Lord and try to remember His words in D&C 6:34 & 36: " Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. / Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." These words come after one of my most favorite scriptures, one I go to time and again when I need strength: "Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" (vs. 23).
No matter where the Army sends us, John and I (and the cats, of course) can build a home together. No matter where this home might be, the Lord is always there with us too, speaking words of comfort, offering peace and placing tender mercies in our path.
Thank you for encouraging me to stop and remember these things as I begin another busy week. Thank you, too, for being such an amazing brother and friend. Love you!
P.S. I know exactly where this picture was taken. The giant grayish building in the center/right is actually a Walmart!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being such an awesome example Steph! I love the verses from D&C 6. They are some of my favorite and are a good reminder, as you point out. Even run ins with the occasional snake are ok (provided they don't bite us). :)
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