I was responsible for writing the YW Presidency Message this month, and as usual, made it relate to me! As Kenya gets ready to start first grade this year, and I continue my forever long journey of trying to figure out who the heck I am, I thought I write about the inevitable: change.
Here is an excerpt from my message, with a little more that I wanted to say thrown in:
As a new year of school and life begin, we are inevitably faced with change and the seemingly daunting unknown. Change can be hard, scary, and intimidating, but it is also very rewarding if we approach it with a positive attitude. One of the most inevitable aspects of life on this earth is change. “Nothing is as constant as change.” “Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly” (Thomas S Monson).
It is these changes, whether big or small, that makes us who we are. They are what can make us stronger and more powerful people in the face of the world. We only have one chance at mortal life—here and now. I can say from the little experience of 30 years (aah!) that it is true that “The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief” (Thomas S Monson). Don’t waste your precious time sweating the small stuff; instead, enjoy the life you have. Enjoy the things you’ll learn and the challenges you’ll face as you enter a new phase of life; whether it be first grade, junior high, high school, or adulthood, remember that opportunities come, and then they are gone. “… [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….[do not] 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” (Thomas S Monson).
Embrace change because you know it can make you better, embrace challenges because you know they can make you stronger, and embrace who you are because you are wonderful! (You as in the Young Women...or anyone reading this for that matter ;).)
President Monson goes on to say: "Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now. The lives of all of us, of course, go through similar alterations and changes. The difference between the changes in my life and the changes in yours is only in the details. Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes.
In The Music Man, Professor Harold Hill, one of the principal characters in the show, voices a caution that I share with you. Says he, 'You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.'
This of course strikes me the most:
If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.
Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”
Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.
