Forget Me Not

Today I was remembering that last year at this time, my hopes were particularly high because of a job I had applied for out in Utah. It was the perfect job for me, and I had a very good job interview in May. Needless to say, when I didn't get the job, I was totally crushed. I thought for sure that was Greg's and my chance to get back to Utah, and I couldn't imagine why the job hadn't worked out. My attitude about living in Illinois became even worse than it already was, and I was not happy. Two months later, I was called into the Young Women program at church, and at first I was worried that it would be too stressful and too much work--just another reason to have a bad attitude. But slowly I started to notice my attitude changing a bit. The biggest change came in October when President Uchtdorf gave a talk at the General Relief Society meeting about the forget me not flower. Just as the forget me not has five petals, he gave five truths that we shouldn't forget. The one that stood out to me was "forget not to be happy now." He talked about the story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and how "people all over the world desperately yearn to find a golden ticket. Some feel that their entire future happiness depends on whether or not a golden ticket falls into their hands. In their anxiousness, people begin to forget the simple joy they used to find in a candy bar. The candy bar itself becomes an utter disappointment if it does not contain a golden ticket." As he was speaking, I thought to my self, "Uh-oh, this sounds like me!" He continued, "So many people today are waiting for their own golden ticket—the ticket that they believe holds the key to the happiness they have always dreamed about. . . . If we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us. This is not to say that we should abandon hope or temper our goals. Never stop striving for the best that is within you. Never stop hoping for all of the righteous desires of your heart. But don’t close your eyes and hearts to the simple and elegant beauties of each day’s ordinary moments that make up a rich, well-lived life. The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly happy." I realized that I was unhappy because I had been waiting for my golden ticket and hadn't truly been enjoying the little things around me. At that point I decided I was going to start looking at things differently and embrace the opportunities that I had. And since that time I have made some of my very best friends and had some wonderful experiences! As I look back and think about the things I would have missed out on if I had gotten that job, I realize that Heavenly Father really did know what was best for me--and I would be sad to have missed out on the priceless friendships and experiences I have gained over the last year. So the moral of this story is to not get discouraged if things aren't working out like you hoped they would. For sure keep hoping that things will work out as they should, and like President Uchtdorf said, continue to pursue your goals, but don't do what I did and get discouraged and sad--try to enjoy the good things around you. Well, those are my DayQuil-induced ramblings for the day :)