If you will bear with me for a moment, I'm going to discuss what I like to call the Mormon 'F' word - more commonly known as feminism. It is always interesting to experience the different reactions when I say the word feminism. Too often the implicit response is, "Oh....you are one of THOSE women." Whatever that is supposed to mean. Usually THOSE women means one of those that hates, men, burns bras, thinks women should dominate the world, or isn't striving to live the gospel.
Can I tell you I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY dislike the bad rap the word feminism has gotten and that this is topic we cannot discuss with and open mind. Because if we break down the word feminism to its TRUE meaning - it is simply a belief and/or understanding of what it means to be a woman. So HELLO! All members of the church should have a belief and an understanding of what it means to be a woman so essentially we are ALL feminists.
Sorry for all the caps - it is just frustrating that this topic - i.e. the role, importance, value of women cannot be discussed because as soon as the word feminism is mentioned, people run screaming from the room or shrink back in horror as if you are contagious.
Perhaps you are thinking - well Cherilee, can't we discuss all of those things without the word feminism? To which I stubbornly respond, well why does it have to be that way? I hate when things are a certain way simply because of some social stigmatism. I want to be able to say the word feminism and not suddenly be associated with everything and anything when I'm only saying, "Yes, I have a belief...in fact a firm belief about what it is and means to be a woman."
And let me tell you - that firm belief actually came about BECAUSE of my taking a feminism class. It made me think about and decide for myself - what do I really believe is the role of women in this world and in eternity. I think we need to think about this more often - and not just women but everyone - what has the Lord told us are the roles of men, women, families, etc. in this life and in the eternities. Too often I know I forget to really think about and apply to the role I have and to think about what it means for eternity.
I have heard more often than I would have expected to from women in the Church that they can't wait until the next life when that dang motherhood thing will be out of the way. Unless I'm completely off here, I'm pretty sure the Lord has taught that exaltation EQUALS eternal motherhood. Motherhood isn't something to just "get out of the way" so we can get on with our REAL purpose. It is one of the main purposes now and into eternity for us.
I think one of the difficult things for each of us is to figure out what that means to us. The Lord has given several reasons and blessings of motherhood but with applied application by us it is difficult sometimes to probably see motherhood as something other than drudgery or something to get out of the way. And yes I recognize that I'm not a mother yet, but it is something I do look forward to. Not because it will be easy, fun or always great but because it will be worth it. I have faith that because the Lord has said so, it will be so if I work and rely on him.
And lastly, seeking motherhood and seeing it as something valuable, important and fulfilling doesn't make me less of a woman. This is the world's view and it has slowly seeped into the women of the church. Can we stand up together in proclaiming the eternal nature, importance and value of womanhood and motherhood?
I had an interesting experience this past Sunday. I was asked to participate with 5 other women from my ward to participate in what ended up being called a focus group. Our Stake Presidency asked that this happen and the group was run by a member or our Stake Presidency.
The purpose? The Stake Presidency wanted to hear from us personally what we felt were the unique challenges and opportunities of being a Young Single Adult at this time. Alot of things were shared by the different sisters that attended but a couple things stood out to me both then and since as I've thought about it. Going into the meeting I really had no idea what it was about or exactly why we were there but once it was explained what I'm going to share with you was the main things I thought about then, shared, and have continued to think about. And it is something I think is applicable across all age ranges or varying places in life.
Are you real and honest with those you interact with especially when we are talking about our wards and specifically Relief Society (or if any guys read this Elders Quorum:P), since this was the focus of the focus group. It seems to me, too often we put on a pretty face, smile, give generic comments, and pretend that everything is rosy and life runs perfectly and smoothly.
Why do we do this? Since this is my blog you of course simply get my opinion, though I always love to hear what others have to say if you feel so inclined to comment :)
I think there are several factors that contribute. One reason I think is a misappropriation of the gospel and what it means to be striving to become perfect. Sometimes the "fake it until you make it" isn't applicable. I feel like an environment within the church has been fostered that encourages us to say, "Everything was great! It was the best thing ever!" And not that we can't say those things, but acknowledging that the mission was a struggle and there were at least as many difficult times as good times, and that being a parent is HARD though rewarding, or that being single has some advantages but it can be lonely and difficult to understand and know your purpose is super important. Projecting a perfect image simply distances us from others and allows no real connection. Sadly, this is a tool of satan because when we feel disconnected and different we often turn to false substitutes that satan whispers will fill that need or void.
Also, we may feel that others will judge us or think less of us because we aren't "perfect." I know this is something I struggle with. I know I often equate struggling with weakness and inadequacy - but we all have weaknesses and are inadequate in some way or the other. This is for a reason and purpose - so that we turn to our Savior who said He would make weak things become strong and that His grace is sufficient.
The last thing I think is a factor is our lack of connection with others and our understanding of how to share appropriately to build deeper relationships. The internet and social media have created an interesting environment where it can be easy to be fake and project a persona rather than who we are but it also sometimes fosters the feeling that we can share anything and everything with anyone and everyone. Both of these are unhealthy and damaging as we try and create true and fulfilling relationships of any kind. If I don't honestly seek and inquire about someone and realize there is a process of sharing and that it must start at a superficial level and through repeated experiences move to more personal or intimate than it will be difficult to have an environment where someone would share with me or I would feel comfortable sharing with them.
So what can I do? What can YOU do? How can we develop in our wards, RS, homes, interactions - a safe place where we are real and honest and seek to provide space where others feel they can be as well?
For me the biggest thing I can do is focus on being real, honest, and seeking to truly know others. What are your thoughts?
The purpose? The Stake Presidency wanted to hear from us personally what we felt were the unique challenges and opportunities of being a Young Single Adult at this time. Alot of things were shared by the different sisters that attended but a couple things stood out to me both then and since as I've thought about it. Going into the meeting I really had no idea what it was about or exactly why we were there but once it was explained what I'm going to share with you was the main things I thought about then, shared, and have continued to think about. And it is something I think is applicable across all age ranges or varying places in life.
Are you real and honest with those you interact with especially when we are talking about our wards and specifically Relief Society (or if any guys read this Elders Quorum:P), since this was the focus of the focus group. It seems to me, too often we put on a pretty face, smile, give generic comments, and pretend that everything is rosy and life runs perfectly and smoothly.
Why do we do this? Since this is my blog you of course simply get my opinion, though I always love to hear what others have to say if you feel so inclined to comment :)
I think there are several factors that contribute. One reason I think is a misappropriation of the gospel and what it means to be striving to become perfect. Sometimes the "fake it until you make it" isn't applicable. I feel like an environment within the church has been fostered that encourages us to say, "Everything was great! It was the best thing ever!" And not that we can't say those things, but acknowledging that the mission was a struggle and there were at least as many difficult times as good times, and that being a parent is HARD though rewarding, or that being single has some advantages but it can be lonely and difficult to understand and know your purpose is super important. Projecting a perfect image simply distances us from others and allows no real connection. Sadly, this is a tool of satan because when we feel disconnected and different we often turn to false substitutes that satan whispers will fill that need or void.
Also, we may feel that others will judge us or think less of us because we aren't "perfect." I know this is something I struggle with. I know I often equate struggling with weakness and inadequacy - but we all have weaknesses and are inadequate in some way or the other. This is for a reason and purpose - so that we turn to our Savior who said He would make weak things become strong and that His grace is sufficient.
The last thing I think is a factor is our lack of connection with others and our understanding of how to share appropriately to build deeper relationships. The internet and social media have created an interesting environment where it can be easy to be fake and project a persona rather than who we are but it also sometimes fosters the feeling that we can share anything and everything with anyone and everyone. Both of these are unhealthy and damaging as we try and create true and fulfilling relationships of any kind. If I don't honestly seek and inquire about someone and realize there is a process of sharing and that it must start at a superficial level and through repeated experiences move to more personal or intimate than it will be difficult to have an environment where someone would share with me or I would feel comfortable sharing with them.
So what can I do? What can YOU do? How can we develop in our wards, RS, homes, interactions - a safe place where we are real and honest and seek to provide space where others feel they can be as well?
For me the biggest thing I can do is focus on being real, honest, and seeking to truly know others. What are your thoughts?
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Sometimes I feel like if I write a blogpost it should be about one thing - one subject or happening that I found so compelling I just HAD to write about it. But I realize my life and myself don't work that way - I "collect" interesting thoughts, subjects, happenings, etc. until I have this conglomeration of awesome things and THEN I feel compelled to write about them all. So here's my bric-a-brac!
It has been awhile but the last couple of weeks I got to interpret a couple of dreams. You may not know that I have this hobby - yes a hobby of interpreting dreams. I get mixed reactions when I say I do this. If you want to know a little more about how I do it, and why I do it you can read my other blog - http://dreamexegesis.blogspot.com/2011/05/meaning-in-dreams_27.html. Dreams are fascinating to me and I think there is a lot that can be learned through interpreting dreams so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do some analysis. It also is great when the person you are interpreting for is open and willing to analyze and share. I think one reason I love it so much is I find people in general to be very fascinating and dream interpretation or analysis gives insight into people - how they think, what is important to them, what stresses them out, how they process information, etc. One of these days I will put up one of my dreams with an interpretation as other people's dreams are personal and I would never share them in a public sphere. But if you ever want a dream interpreted let me know! :P
Last night I went to see Life of Pi. I've been wanting to see this movie for some time as back during my undergrad I read, studied and even wrote a research paper the I presented at an undergraduate conference on the book. It will always be one of my all time favorite books. Because of this I was nervous about how well they would be able to handle the nuances of the book in a movie and to be honest while I really wanted to read it I was skeptical. But a friend wanted to see it and had read the book and I had two free movie tickets so we ventured out to see it. We were both pleasantly surprised and felt they did a pretty good job in the movie of capturing the book and the important things. The movie is over 2 hours long but it zipped by for me and I felt engaged the whole time. So I recommend reading the book THEN seeing the movie. And even better, I recommend reading the book, discussing the book then seeing the movie. It was really fun that we had both read the book and discussed for several minutes afterwards about one of the main questions the book posits to you as a reader. I won't give anything away but I'm always up for discussing the book or movie should anyone feel so inclined.
I've also finished the book I mentioned in my previous post - The Anatomy of Peace, which I cannot recommend highly enough. It is a life changer. I also love when you have "ah-ha" moments. When something finally comes into clarity and you feel like you finally see and understand something important. In the last several weeks that has happened for me. For me one of the keys of life has been reaching the point where I understand and recognize my own little personal quirks and recognize them as the valuable parts of me that they are. And in addition, accepting people for where they are at. These two things combined really bring a lot of inner quietness and peace in combination with the knowledge the gospel gives us and the peace we can feel through living it.
Isn't life wonderful?!?
It has been awhile but the last couple of weeks I got to interpret a couple of dreams. You may not know that I have this hobby - yes a hobby of interpreting dreams. I get mixed reactions when I say I do this. If you want to know a little more about how I do it, and why I do it you can read my other blog - http://dreamexegesis.blogspot.com/2011/05/meaning-in-dreams_27.html. Dreams are fascinating to me and I think there is a lot that can be learned through interpreting dreams so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do some analysis. It also is great when the person you are interpreting for is open and willing to analyze and share. I think one reason I love it so much is I find people in general to be very fascinating and dream interpretation or analysis gives insight into people - how they think, what is important to them, what stresses them out, how they process information, etc. One of these days I will put up one of my dreams with an interpretation as other people's dreams are personal and I would never share them in a public sphere. But if you ever want a dream interpreted let me know! :P
Last night I went to see Life of Pi. I've been wanting to see this movie for some time as back during my undergrad I read, studied and even wrote a research paper the I presented at an undergraduate conference on the book. It will always be one of my all time favorite books. Because of this I was nervous about how well they would be able to handle the nuances of the book in a movie and to be honest while I really wanted to read it I was skeptical. But a friend wanted to see it and had read the book and I had two free movie tickets so we ventured out to see it. We were both pleasantly surprised and felt they did a pretty good job in the movie of capturing the book and the important things. The movie is over 2 hours long but it zipped by for me and I felt engaged the whole time. So I recommend reading the book THEN seeing the movie. And even better, I recommend reading the book, discussing the book then seeing the movie. It was really fun that we had both read the book and discussed for several minutes afterwards about one of the main questions the book posits to you as a reader. I won't give anything away but I'm always up for discussing the book or movie should anyone feel so inclined.
I've also finished the book I mentioned in my previous post - The Anatomy of Peace, which I cannot recommend highly enough. It is a life changer. I also love when you have "ah-ha" moments. When something finally comes into clarity and you feel like you finally see and understand something important. In the last several weeks that has happened for me. For me one of the keys of life has been reaching the point where I understand and recognize my own little personal quirks and recognize them as the valuable parts of me that they are. And in addition, accepting people for where they are at. These two things combined really bring a lot of inner quietness and peace in combination with the knowledge the gospel gives us and the peace we can feel through living it.
Isn't life wonderful?!?
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I LOVE the Christmas Season and everything it encompasses - focusing on the Savior, giving gifts, the lights, the music, the feeling! It just makes me so happy and also I love a good excuse to get together with people and to give gifts. This Christmas season has been a little different for me this year - for a number of reasons. With going to Hawaii in November my regular "schedule" for Christmas got thrown off. I usually have my gifts planned out and purchased by about the first of December. That didnt' even come close to happening this year but the great thing has been that I've actually been less stressed out this year because though I love Christmas I usually get too stressed trying to do too much and worrying to much about things. Not having everything planned out actually made it so I could just go with things and enjoy time and people. And honestly when you focus on others the season becomes that much more enjoyable and meaningful for you.
The last month and a half or so have also been a time of some serious introspection. I've thought alot on contentment vs complacency. I don't think I do very well with being content as too often I equate it with being complacent. So I've thought, studied and prayed to understand the difference because too often not being content makes it more difficult to be grateful. I've asked myself repeatedly - how do I be content with what I have, yet continue to strive to improve myself? Is contentment only a matter of physical or material items and we should never be content about ourselves, personality or attributes? All of my introspection has led me to conclude there is no simple and easy answer to that question. But the best part of all the thought I've been into this is that through the process I somehow have gained more peace with myself. I feel like I've come closer to the balance of not beating myself up when I fail or because I have weaknesses but simply trying each day to be better and to really rely on the Atonement, which means I will USE it frequently.
I've also been reading a super interesting book. I've a very structured, fix-it, let's get this done type of personality and attitude. But I also love people - I think this is best illustrated in the fact I'm a Blue/Red personality, which is great but often frustrating because the main desire for each of those is often in conflict. Blue desires closeness and intimacy and Red desires power and control - those don't go so well with each other. Anyway, my personality leads to me often seeing people as objects instead of people - I have a goal, I want to accomplish that goal and people are simply objects or part of the outside stuff I have to work around to reach my goal. So I've been reading this book called The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict. Now first let me say, I'm not a huge fan or advocate of "self-help" books but I've read The Bonds That Make Us Free, written by the same institute and it was fabulous and life changing and it appears The Anatomy of Peace has the same potential. The focus is on seeing people as people and not as objects and discusses what happens when we see other people as objects and how it affects us.
Lastly, I've really evaluated and decided I needed to refocus my life and having the Savior as my first priority above all else. Sometimes it is too easy to get caught up and focusing on other things that may be of some importance but would be better served if my first focus was on the Savior and then allow everything else to fall into place. The most amazing thing about doing that is that your circumstances don't change, the things that were hard are often still hard but somehow there is a layer of peace that helps you to know that everything will be ok and all things will work out for the best.
So here's to a wonderful and joyous holiday season and an amazing new year to come. May it be filled with learning, fun, laughter, joy, people, and most of all a closer relationship with the Savior. Merry Christmas to all of YOU!
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A few months ago, I was discussing traveling with a friend. Both of us were like, "It would be great to visit Hawaii." Then we were like, "Well then why don't we plan and go since we both want to." The plans just took off from there, and last week we spent 7 days on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It was kind of amazing how it all came together and we were both able to make it work despite a few bumps along the road and in the planning. So here is a rundwon of our adventures!
Day 1 - We actually decided to fly out of Vegas because it was much cheaper for both of us. So we headed out on Saturday afternoon to drive to St. George to stay overnight before driving to Vegas the next morning to catch our flight. The weather was a little iffy and we encountered a couple of snowstorms but nothing to bad. We did however see TWO semis jackknifed with one of them torn in half on the other side of the road....made us a little nervous.
Day 2 - Up EARLY, well not TOO early for the two of us since we often get up at 4:30 to go to the gym. We made it easily to Vegas, parked the car, got a ride to the airport and waited for our flight. The flight was super smooth, though who likes sitting for 6 hours after having just driven 2? If you are on your way to Hawaii though I guess you like it a little :P We arrived, caught a shuttle to the rental car place, had a duel with the car rental agent (they really try to scare you into getting their insurance), and then the fun began! We had decided beforehand that I would be the driver and Mindy would be the navigator. We got a baptism by fire as soon as we got in the car. Driving anywhere new, especially in a place where there is ALOT of traffic is like putting on a blindfold and wandering around a firing range. You are taking your life into your hands.
We had decided we were hungry as we hadn't had lunch, so after driving and trying to find a Subway, we found one that was closed at 2pm on a Sunday and one we couldn't even find. Finally we just decided to drive to the condo. With a few minor difficulties we made it. Our condo was great - spacious enough for the 2 of us and it included a kitchen!
We visited the Valley of the Temples after that. They had several different temples but the main focus was the Byodo-In Temple. Mindy has been to Japan and she said it looked exactly like many temples you would see there. We then drove out to the North Shore, which took a bit of time. Let me tell you something about getting around Oahu - although the island is only 112 miles ALL the way around - it takes forever to get from one place to another. One of the reasons? The speed limit on the freeway is only 35mph - yes that isn't a typo, only 35 mph. After finally arriving we walked around and looked at all these cute little shops though most were too expensive for our tastes or a little too corny. But it was fun!
But after some discussion we decided that wouldn't be great on gas mileage so we went with a smaller, more fuel efficient car.Then we hiked up to the Makapu'u Lighthouse, which was a great hike with a spectacular view at the end. It is a little strange hiking at sea level though - you feel exertion and your muscles tell you that you've worked them but you don't get out of breath - kind of a strange feeling! But it was WINDY - we got to the top and were trying to take pictures but it was hard to hold the camera steady enough to do so. Some of my favorite pictures are from this hike though!
Day 1 - We actually decided to fly out of Vegas because it was much cheaper for both of us. So we headed out on Saturday afternoon to drive to St. George to stay overnight before driving to Vegas the next morning to catch our flight. The weather was a little iffy and we encountered a couple of snowstorms but nothing to bad. We did however see TWO semis jackknifed with one of them torn in half on the other side of the road....made us a little nervous.
Day 2 - Up EARLY, well not TOO early for the two of us since we often get up at 4:30 to go to the gym. We made it easily to Vegas, parked the car, got a ride to the airport and waited for our flight. The flight was super smooth, though who likes sitting for 6 hours after having just driven 2? If you are on your way to Hawaii though I guess you like it a little :P We arrived, caught a shuttle to the rental car place, had a duel with the car rental agent (they really try to scare you into getting their insurance), and then the fun began! We had decided beforehand that I would be the driver and Mindy would be the navigator. We got a baptism by fire as soon as we got in the car. Driving anywhere new, especially in a place where there is ALOT of traffic is like putting on a blindfold and wandering around a firing range. You are taking your life into your hands.
We had decided we were hungry as we hadn't had lunch, so after driving and trying to find a Subway, we found one that was closed at 2pm on a Sunday and one we couldn't even find. Finally we just decided to drive to the condo. With a few minor difficulties we made it. Our condo was great - spacious enough for the 2 of us and it included a kitchen!
We were tired so we just chilled for the rest of the first day, which was good given what we did the next day!
Day 3 - Today we walked over 16,000 steps, which is equivalent on average to 8 miles!! We did alot of walking. We visisted Diamond Head Crater and hiked to the top. We experienced our first Hawaiian rain and got to see several rainbows. When it rains in Hawaii for the most part, it rains very lightly for less than a minute and then stops but will turn around a half hour later and do the same thing. Repeat throughout the day. We then headed to the Koko Crater Botanical Gardens. The most beautiful thing was the plumeria groves - those flowers are so beautiful!
We visited the Valley of the Temples after that. They had several different temples but the main focus was the Byodo-In Temple. Mindy has been to Japan and she said it looked exactly like many temples you would see there. We then drove out to the North Shore, which took a bit of time. Let me tell you something about getting around Oahu - although the island is only 112 miles ALL the way around - it takes forever to get from one place to another. One of the reasons? The speed limit on the freeway is only 35mph - yes that isn't a typo, only 35 mph. After finally arriving we walked around and looked at all these cute little shops though most were too expensive for our tastes or a little too corny. But it was fun!
Day 4 - I was especially excited about today because we visisted Pearl Harbor, which holds a special place in my heart. The only problem with Pearl Harbor was there were SO many people there. And also any time I visit exhibits, which require reading I always run into a dilemma - I read quite fast, which means I'm always done before whomever I'm with - so I have to decide - TRY to read slow or just read and be done and waiting for awhile. Regardless, it was great to visit that historical site and we were able to go out to the USS Arizone and participate in the little memorial they do.
Day 5- One of Mindy's coworkers had suggested to us that we visit the swap meet they hold in the Aloha Stadium. So Wednesday morning we headed there early to take a look at what they had. Let me tell you - if you visit Hawaii the swap meet is the place to get your souveniers. Great prices and some great items. I think for the two of us, we got the majority of what we bought in Hawaii at the swap meet. We then headed to our day at the Polynesian Cultural Center. It was a fun and informative day. I loved that they have activities you participate in as well as things you watch. I however was not impressed but the luau dinner. I didn't think it was that great and would not do the luau again. And it was a little scary as we were driving home tonight at some point a light came on saying we had low tire pressure. Thankfully we made it back to the condo without any issue.
Day 6 - Because of the tire issue we had to head back to the car rental place this morning to swap cars. Given that we had had to come back they gave us the option of upgrading - I could have driven THIS -
But after some discussion we decided that wouldn't be great on gas mileage so we went with a smaller, more fuel efficient car.Then we hiked up to the Makapu'u Lighthouse, which was a great hike with a spectacular view at the end. It is a little strange hiking at sea level though - you feel exertion and your muscles tell you that you've worked them but you don't get out of breath - kind of a strange feeling! But it was WINDY - we got to the top and were trying to take pictures but it was hard to hold the camera steady enough to do so. Some of my favorite pictures are from this hike though!
We then went and stopped at Sandy Beach. The weather was rainy and windy so we didn't sit much on the beach. So we decided to actually play in the water a little. I don't have pictures yet from here because we just used Mindy's camera. But I had a bit of a scare while were were in the water. I had set my Chacos back on the sand and had gone out a ways into the water. All of a sudden, Mindy, who was behind me a bit yelled that the water had caught my sandals. Sure enough as I turn around here comes one of my sandals floating by me out to the ocean. It was a mad scramble to try and catch it before it went out further than I dared go! I'm sure it was quite a comedy show for Mindy as she watched me try to frantically grab my sandal - LOLOL! After that we were exhausted after several full days so we rented a movie and just chilled at the condo.
Day 6 - Today we headed to the Laie Temple and did a session there. It was beautiful and probably the most relaxed I had been all trip. The temple is beautiful and I love that no matter where you go, you can feel the spirit.
We visited Laie Lookout point after that - Mindy said it was her favorite place but sadly I only had my skirt on still and it wasn't the kind of skirt you could be out in windy weather without showing a bit more than you wanted to. So I got to sit in the car while Mindy did a little exploring. Here are a couple pictures I managed to get while frantically grasping at my skirt!
We then went and sat on the beach but of course the one day we had to sit for several hours on the beach they came and CLOSED the beach. We then decided to chase the sunset and I got some pictures that I love.
Day 7 - Today was a tough one because we had to checkout so we couldn't exactly go to something that would require us to get cleaned up. So after a bit of reading we headed to the swap meet again for some last minute items, got some shaved ice and headed to the airport.
Everything had gone so smoothly on our trip down we should have expected some issues going back. And sure enough we got them - they had to maintanence the plane and then cool it off so we didn't start boarding until the time we were supposed to be taking off!! We didn't love this because we were scheduled already to get back late and now it was going to be even later! And to top it off, there was a child on the plane that screamed - no crying, but screaming for at least the first 45 min to hour of the flight. Thankfully they weren't seated right by us! We then arrived in Vegas just after midnight. We had planned to just drive to St. George and stay there but given we were later already, when we hit St. George about 3 am we just decided to drive the rest of the way. I got to hear Mindy talk more in that ride that probably most of the rest of the trip, but she did a great job helping me stay awake!
Overall the trip was an EXPERIENCE with the only real downside being that I have yet to be able to adjust since getting back and my body doesn't seem to like me right now. But it was worth it to get to visit Hawaii!
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Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors. ~ Norman Cousins
Laughing really is great. And being with people that make you laugh and you can laugh with makes such a difference. Somehow it just makes everything brighter, even when nothing in your life has changed. So lets discuss laughter for a moment -
If for no other reason, we should laugh because it releases endorphins and as Elle Woods said - Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't shoot their husbands. They just don't!"
Laughing also reduces the risk for heart disease. Who knew one of the best things emotionally AND physically for your heart is to laugh.
I've always loved laughing - it is one of the reasons I read the comics whenever I get a chance. But there is an added element to laughing when you are with other people and you are all laughing together.
Life hasn't felt very kind the last few years, and definitely the last few months. It has been trial after trial that just didn't seem to let up and that can be discouraging. And when you are discouraged it is hard to laugh and find joy in the little moments of life. But I am really beginning to appreciate how the hard times make you so grateful for those moments or hours of joy and laughter.
Yesterday afternoon I got to visit a couple of new friends from my ward - we sat and visited and literally laughed for hours. And let me tell you - there is something about being with and around people that can just let go and really laugh. The deep gut laugh when something really is funny to you and you aren't afraid to just let go. I cannot tell you what a difference those hours of laughter made for my day and for my general outlook on life - if there is ever a time you wear rose colored glasses it is after a day of laughter for sure. And the great thing is - I now have a bunch of funny statements, discussions and stories as memories to bring me laughter and joy when I think about them at a later date.
How can you beat that?
And it made me so grateful for wonderful people who are open and friendly and you just instantly feel at ease with them. I have a bit of a sarcastic/joking side that often doesn't emerge for some time when I don't know someone. So it always makes me really happy when you meet people that you almost instantly feel at ease with - you exude a happiness for life and acceptance of others that you just help being yourself immediately. Makes me want to be that type of person.
So if you haven't laughed today - make sure to do it. And if you can - laugh with someone else! It makes any day brighter!!
Laughing really is great. And being with people that make you laugh and you can laugh with makes such a difference. Somehow it just makes everything brighter, even when nothing in your life has changed. So lets discuss laughter for a moment -
If for no other reason, we should laugh because it releases endorphins and as Elle Woods said - Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't shoot their husbands. They just don't!"
Laughing also reduces the risk for heart disease. Who knew one of the best things emotionally AND physically for your heart is to laugh.
I've always loved laughing - it is one of the reasons I read the comics whenever I get a chance. But there is an added element to laughing when you are with other people and you are all laughing together.
Life hasn't felt very kind the last few years, and definitely the last few months. It has been trial after trial that just didn't seem to let up and that can be discouraging. And when you are discouraged it is hard to laugh and find joy in the little moments of life. But I am really beginning to appreciate how the hard times make you so grateful for those moments or hours of joy and laughter.
Yesterday afternoon I got to visit a couple of new friends from my ward - we sat and visited and literally laughed for hours. And let me tell you - there is something about being with and around people that can just let go and really laugh. The deep gut laugh when something really is funny to you and you aren't afraid to just let go. I cannot tell you what a difference those hours of laughter made for my day and for my general outlook on life - if there is ever a time you wear rose colored glasses it is after a day of laughter for sure. And the great thing is - I now have a bunch of funny statements, discussions and stories as memories to bring me laughter and joy when I think about them at a later date.
How can you beat that?
And it made me so grateful for wonderful people who are open and friendly and you just instantly feel at ease with them. I have a bit of a sarcastic/joking side that often doesn't emerge for some time when I don't know someone. So it always makes me really happy when you meet people that you almost instantly feel at ease with - you exude a happiness for life and acceptance of others that you just help being yourself immediately. Makes me want to be that type of person.
So if you haven't laughed today - make sure to do it. And if you can - laugh with someone else! It makes any day brighter!!
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Once upon a time I wrote a book. Yes, an entire book about something I felt strongly about and thought was important to others.
Ok, this really isn't a "once upon a time" type of story, for it isn't fiction at all :) Probably aboutt 5 years ago I had a concept that I wanted to write a book about. And while my English emphasis is in creative writing, this book wasn't going to be fiction. I took some time and wrote a little bit, but just couldn't get too into it, so the draft sat for probably about a year. Then one day I had this really strong urge to work on and finish the book. From that point it was probably only 3 weeks until I had a complete first draft. I do have to say I'm pretty sure it wasn't just me working on the book - I had some inspirational help :)
From there I went through the process of revision and editing to a couple of months later I have a draft ready for submission. I submitted it to all the big publishers that I felt sold to the audience I was trying to reach. No one wanted to publish it - sadly they never tell you exactly why other than they don't think it will make them enough money :P However, I do feel strongly that the topic I chose has been a bit controversial and is still controversial and often times in the case of publishers I was approaching, they don't go for controversial. Especially because my book addressed feminism, yes feminism, and I often feel that is the Mormon 'F' word.
So my book has sat for over 4 years - I wasn't sure what to do with it and sometimes thought perhaps I had only written it for myself. But our society is amazing in the technological advances that happen and in the last year I found I could self publish to ebook and perhaps reach a few people.
And I'm writing this blogpost to let it be known that shortly (hopefully by the end of this week) my book will be available for purchase on Amazon. Yes, this is self promotion but I do it only because I wrote the book feeling like it was something that needed to be said and could be helpful to others. I will post on Facebook when it is actually available but I do have to say I'm excited to finally be at this point. For a little teaser here is the book cover (this was what took me the longest to get it ready for publication - you have to design and create your own cover!). Any feedback on the book cover would of course be accepted and appreciated!
Ok, this really isn't a "once upon a time" type of story, for it isn't fiction at all :) Probably aboutt 5 years ago I had a concept that I wanted to write a book about. And while my English emphasis is in creative writing, this book wasn't going to be fiction. I took some time and wrote a little bit, but just couldn't get too into it, so the draft sat for probably about a year. Then one day I had this really strong urge to work on and finish the book. From that point it was probably only 3 weeks until I had a complete first draft. I do have to say I'm pretty sure it wasn't just me working on the book - I had some inspirational help :)
From there I went through the process of revision and editing to a couple of months later I have a draft ready for submission. I submitted it to all the big publishers that I felt sold to the audience I was trying to reach. No one wanted to publish it - sadly they never tell you exactly why other than they don't think it will make them enough money :P However, I do feel strongly that the topic I chose has been a bit controversial and is still controversial and often times in the case of publishers I was approaching, they don't go for controversial. Especially because my book addressed feminism, yes feminism, and I often feel that is the Mormon 'F' word.
So my book has sat for over 4 years - I wasn't sure what to do with it and sometimes thought perhaps I had only written it for myself. But our society is amazing in the technological advances that happen and in the last year I found I could self publish to ebook and perhaps reach a few people.
And I'm writing this blogpost to let it be known that shortly (hopefully by the end of this week) my book will be available for purchase on Amazon. Yes, this is self promotion but I do it only because I wrote the book feeling like it was something that needed to be said and could be helpful to others. I will post on Facebook when it is actually available but I do have to say I'm excited to finally be at this point. For a little teaser here is the book cover (this was what took me the longest to get it ready for publication - you have to design and create your own cover!). Any feedback on the book cover would of course be accepted and appreciated!
And I also hope some of you will take the time to read the book when it is available!
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