Last week when Chris' family was here in town, Chris' mom was talking to his 5 & 7 year old siblings and answering their questions about what was happening next that day, and when they were leaving to go home, etc. She said that they always want to know what is happening next. I thought that was kinda sad because instead of focusing on the fun we were having, they were worried about how many days it would be until they had to leave.
Then, I read an article in the July Ensign (our Church's monthly magazine for adults) called "Getting Beyond Getting Through It." It talked about the importance of making the most of life as you live it, especially when you're in a transitional state and not just trying to get through it until you move on. I had always thought that I would only live in Utah until I had graduated from BYU, but I've been graduated for 2 years and we will probably be in Utah for 2 more years or so while Chris is finishing school. My "transition" state has lasted me 6 years and will most likely last me at least 2 more!
Reading that article and thinking about my own life situation was definitely an Aha! moment for me. I had fallen into the same trap of always looking for what was coming next, more specifically looking forward to starting what I thought was "real life" once we left Utah. I realized that although I had always felt that living in Utah was a temporary situation, I don't have to keep myself from enjoying it fully while I'm here. It's ok to put down roots here, make good friends here, create a beautiful and comfortable home here, and make "real life" start right now and not sometime in the future!
So, that's what I learned this past week. I'm looking forward to a new start, and I plan on taking full advantage of the great benefits of living in Utah that I know I will miss when we do move on to the next stage in our lives.
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Thanks for sharing your feelings on that. I can totally relate to you in many ways, when I was serving my mission in Minnesota, it was really hard for me to go from one area to the next because it would always hurt so much to learn to get to know people, love them, and then leave them. I often wondered if it would be easier if I just detached myself so to say, so I wouldn't get hurt when leaving an area...but while trying to do so, it only hurt more. I realized I couldn't not LOVE people. I couldn't not want to grow in the area, and though it was tough to leave, I left my whole mission with many more people I loved, and that loved me then if I was just in a transition state.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya there. I go back and forth between being sad that my kids are growing up and counting the days until we're done with the terrible 2s. I read that too and have been trying to just enjoy each stage. While you're enjoying Utah, enjoy me some cafe rio and a macey's ice cream cone. And a trip up the canyon :) Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh man I loved the party bus in the last post! It sounds like I need to go and read that article, good advice!
ReplyDeleteyay for you. You are awesome!
ReplyDeleteIt's so true. I read this the other day and thought about how you really just need to let yourself get involved everywhere no matter how short of a time you'll be there. I've tried to do that here the past year, and it makes it so much better.
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