Life's Tough...

Growing up, I watched a lot of Boy Meets World. Most of the time I laughed at the antics of the characters as they went through their lives but every once in a while, there was a truth spoken that I would carry with me for the rest of my life. 
One such truth was spoken by Eric Matthews to his little brother, Cory, and though we all laughed when Eric smacked him in the forehead directly thereafter, the truth remained in my mind:
"Life's tough. Get a helmet."
Life is tough. Even for the people who are always smiling and happy, there is usually some battle that they are facing and we may never know just how hard it is for them to continue smiling for us and cheering everyone else on in their trials and struggles. 
I have had my share of trials and must admit that from time to time I feel as though they never stop. That there is no reprieve. That I am constantly treading water and trying to struggle free from the pressure and choking hold that the dark has upon my soul.

As I was laying down in an attempt to sleep tonight, an ice pack tucked snugly underneath my back with a couple layers of material between (winter is around the corner after all), I started thinking--from time to time aloud--about where I am in life. This included not only my relationship status but also the status of my testimony and beliefs. What started out as ramblings became something moving to me and I had to sit up at once and start composing this blog entry. 
I imagined myself in front of a crowd of people (I have a tendency to lay out scenes in my mind) perhaps they could be my single adult ward, or perhaps just a gathering of young people with my same base belief and tie to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
What I said was something similar to this:

I believe in Christ. I believe in His Gospel and know that Joseph Smith was the first prophet of the Restoration. Chosen by God to bring forth this marvelous work. I know that I would not be the person I am if not for my foundation in this church. I am grateful for parents who encouraged me to go with them to church every week--who taught me how to pray. And I am thankful for siblings who have and still set an example for the kind of disciple I want to be. 
My soul aches when they fall just as I know theirs do when I experience my moments of weakness. I am grateful to know that we continue to love each other through these struggles and times of darkness and in the words of a friend of mine--continue to be FAMILY. 

Sisters... you are so strong. We may have moments of weakness but at the end of the day we are strong. Our capacity to do good is larger than we can ever imagine. Our paths are our own. We will be asked to fight dragons that others of us may not encounter til later in life or not at all. Some of us will marry and raise families. Others of us will help our loved ones to nourish the minds and spirits of their children, perhaps our nieces and nephews. 
It's a potentially frightening road that we will travel but if we arm ourselves with virtue, faith, charity, and light we will be able to follow it to its end. 
I know it is hard at times not to get caught up in the dramas of relationships---from those with our friends to those with our boyfriends and sometimes even our boy(space)friends. But if you must be caught up, be sure to assess the situation you find yourself and know it is because you seek to make them happy. Do not fall in love to make yourself happy. Relationships are made of a desire to serve one another and those relationships that turn into courtships are made of the service that only you can give one another... or at least that is what I think. 
It hurts when we cannot make another happy. I have experienced this with both my male AND female friends. I love them... and from this love stems a desire for them to be happy. It is unfortunate that I have hurt some, discouraged others, and perhaps even don't recognize that some soul wants my attention. I apologize for those moments... but I hope you at least understand that I do want you to be happy---regardless of my proximity to the reason for your happiness. 

Some of the strongest, smartest, and most beautiful women I know are those who have been asked to trod the paths of this world alone. I am grateful to have such examples of faith and trust in God and the hope that it will work out in the end as long as they keep pressing on and allowing Him to guide them with His will and hands.

Men. I am not saying that this means you have to date these particular women. But if you refuse to do that... then please, I implore you, be our brothers. Help cultivate places of refuge and strength. Places where we can turn when the world has almost beaten us and take time to cry. Let us know that you love and support us. Men. Tell the sisters if you are their home teachers. Sometimes home teachers are the only ones we feel we can turn to. 
Help us to know how we can help you and support you. Let us know when we hurt you. Why. Don't give up on us for, though we may say it from time to time, we surely have not given up on you. 

These are just a handful of the words that I spoke to myself but it reminded me that I still feel. Compassion. Hurt. Tenderness. Disappointment. Peace. The day we stop feeling is the day that we lose hope. The day when we forget to bring our "helmet" along and face up to the toughness of life with our brightest light of optimism and hope for what the future has in store for us if we will only have the courage.
And this is what I will leave you with-- a quote from President Thomas S. Monson, the current prophet: "Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, 'I'll try again tomorrow.'"