Have Courage and Be Kind

The latest version of Cinderella put out by Disney Studios is, by far, the best movie to have come out in the last year. Not because of the picturesque landscapes, the amazing attention to detail, or even the luxuriously elaborate costuming (though all of these are good things to note). But rather because of the main theme in the movie that is introduced by Ella's dying mother who imparts the following wisdom to her young child:

"Have courage and be kind."

This quote has been on my mind ever since I first saw the movie just a few months back and how appropriately timed it has been but how very unfortunate that hardly anyone paid it attention! There is so much going around these days that causes discontent, disagreement, and sometimes outright violence. The whisperings of the Father of Contention is pulling the strings like an expert puppet master and easily pits us one against the other, neighbor against neighbor, parents against children, race against race. 

He has fooled us all into believing that one another is the enemy. How wrong that is! We have gone from praying for equality, understanding, and rights to demanding them! Yelling, screaming, cursing for them. 

Honestly, I also struggle with being kind to everyone but I would like to think that I at least have courage--and that, that is a start. It takes courage to be kind in this world that has made it so easy to sling mud at one another, to bare teeth and brandish claws because we were raised differently and have different values and views of the world. 

I will not apologize for the things that I have shared because they reflect my views. I do not see the "fairness" of being told to be apologetic that I don't stand for gay marriage and other points of barbed conversational topics when those with the opposing view are allowed to boldly declare theirs and be applauded. 

I will treat all with the kindness that I have always done--but that does not mean giving in to demands just because the voices are louder than mine. Is it kindness giving a temperamental child whatever they want in hopes that they will stop making a scene? No. It merely gives them more drive and reason to scream whenever they want the newest toy or the piece of candy some other child has been given. 

So, have courage to speak your mind. But find the gentlest way or kindest way. And if you cannot do that, at least don't shove it into someone else's face and throat until they agree that your ways of thinking and opinions are the only valid ones.  

Travel

Life has been quite the interesting experience lately.

Full of ups and downs, blessings and lessons--I hardly know where to begin.

This past week, I had the opportunity to go home to Oregon and see my family. My younger sister just returned from her 18-month LDS mission in Canada and it had been some time since I had gotten to see my brothers (I had the opportunity to see my parents and youngest sister halfway through the summer as well as my sister-in-law and nephew multiple times over the past few months). It was a welcome change of pace, honestly, though there was a mild trial in the way of my heart...though I suppose that story will have to wait for another time.

If you know me at all, you know I absolutely abhor traveling by plane. Especially when I am traveling solo. My anxiety flourishes during these times and thus, anything that anyone can do to lower that stress level is a welcome relief.

My travel to Oregon went as smoothly and pleasantly as one could hope for having been offered a ride to the airport from a coworker (at 5 AM, mind you) and though I had hardly slept the night before (a grand total of one hour on the couch downstairs), I was happily picked up by my mother and after some delicious food and a grocery run, we made it home to the rest of the family (which includes three cats and an old but no less enthusiastic dog).

As trips of that nature always tend to be, it was much too short and passage of time before I was on my way back to Medford to the dratted plane. But perhaps I should dial back to the night before when I remembered that I had not yet found a ride home from the SLC airport.

Another note about me is how much I dislike putting people out of their way to do any service for me--especially if I don't know them. But seeing as how I had just moved in to a new ward and had had experiences of such service from people in the past, I thought what have I got to lose?

So, I posted an inquiry for someone to come get me after what I was already sure would be a frazzling day of travel from the SLC airport so that I wouldn't have to stress about getting me and my belongings onto a train (because, yes, I am very much aware of the service of TRAX but know that a ride on it AFTER a day of flight would be trying fate). Not 15 minutes after I had posted, I got a bite! I thought how wonderful that there is someone so quick to see and fill a need in the ward!

Not so. I am sure he saw himself as helpful as he suggested I ride TRAX. Not home but to the airport. I may have left my sarcasm get the better of me and my frustration must have bled through my response to him as I pointed out that I had asked for someone who wasn't just willing but ABLE (keyword, in my opinion) to give me a lift. How was I to expect that sarcasm would be thrown right back at me not from only this first male, but a second one as well? And, thank you Facebook, for giving us the power to "like" one another's comments to further infuriate (or perhaps a better description for this instance would be humiliate?) the original poster.

This probably wouldn't have struck me as so harsh had someone also taken my side in this.... Facebook banter. But no. There I was, 111 views from other members of the page later without a friend to look to.

Yes, this post has been a bit of a rant, I'll own, but I don't think I have ever been in a more unhelpful, mean-spirited, anti-service-oriented ward in all my single adult life.

So thank you for showing me that I, too, am a "meaningful" and "important" addition to the ward. I am glad I wasn't left guessing.

So this was just a gentle prelude to the following day wherein I was too late to check-in for my flight (even though I heard them calling for late-boarders over the intercom). So a trip I should have started at 1 PM was pushed back to about 5 PM. Then instead of chilling in the PDX, I had to rush myself over to the next gate (clear across the airport) while also picking up something to snack on because I wouldn't have time for an actual meal (nor, I suppose, would be stomach have held it because of the turbulence endured on the plane).

Finally landing in SLC, 3.5 hours later than the original plan, my cousin (wonderful people, those cousins) picked me up and took me home where I pretty much crawled immediately into bed and passed out not too much after.

Anxiety, stress... yes. I wouldn't expect anything different from travel.