The Beauty of this Life

I love life. What a wonderful world and a wonderful time we have to live in. Around 7 a.m. this morning I was walking to campus for my on-campus job. The air was cool and crisp and the road was quiet. I had been planning on riding my roommate's scooter in order to get to work faster, but it felt right to walk. So, I walked.

I walked down the sidewalk that runs right next to the cemetery, while walking I couldn't help but look around and see the clouds and the moon. The moon was shining so bright on the clouds around it that one could see a rainbow reflecting off the clouds. I enjoyed the thought that the moon is only a reflection of the sun, as are we. I continued to walk through the peaceful morning air, but something was different about this walk.

I wasn't walking at my normal "I'm in a rush" pace. I was walking slowly, purposefully. I looked at the stars and pondered the numberless worlds that were above me. The lives that were being lived, the challenges that someone else was facing, the happiness that someone else was experiencing. It helped me remember that life is so small and my worries are so insignificant to the big picture. But even though my worries are small, He still knows them.This was a wonderful, refreshing walk that helped me renew my appreciation for the beauty of the earth.

Do we take enough time to admire the beauty? Do we take enough time to remember those feelings that can't be recorded? Recently I have become a fan of taking pictures. I love seeing what I can capture on the image card of my camera. These pictures are sometimes beautiful, and other times they are just ordinary. However, each one brings back a feeling of peace and wonder. There have been times when I've wanted nothing more than to take a picture of a beautiful scene in order to remember the moment, but I knew that I would be unable to. It is at these times that I tell myself the best pictures, the most beautiful scenes and feelings will never be recorded by my camera.

There will be no camera that can see the joy I will feel when I get my mission call; there will be no video camera that can replay the feelings that came on my baptismal day. There is beauty that can only be felt, never touched, or taken, and only recorded with inadequate words.

That is one of the challenges we face on this earth. Not being able to express what we are feeling. How can someone express how happy they are with words? One can only feel happiness. As I talked on the phone to a friend I could hear the happiness in their voice, not in the words that were being said, but how they were said.

So, what am I trying to say? I'm trying to express, with words, the feeling of gratitude and wonder I have towards the beauty of this life. I may not have the best diction in the world, but I can pray that you will take the time to walk a little slower and look into your past and re-feel those things that have changed your life. Re-feel the happiest moment, the most tender, and the most wonderful.

Life is so incredible, please don't let it pass you by without noticing, and maybe even recording, the beauty.