It's that time of year again, where everyone (myself included) posts and blogs about all the things we're grateful for. I've made it a tradition to blog near Thanksgiving about all the things I am grateful for but this year as I write this blog from a hospital bed in Murray I am overwhelmed, almost to the point of tears, by all the blessings in my life.
I am in the hospital because I developed blood clots in my lungs, from a combination of pregnancy hormones, birth control and family risk factors. Although I would much rather be at work right now, I am grateful for modern medicine that was able to discover my blood clots and treat them before they became a serious issue. I am grateful for my husband John, who stayed with me in the ER until 2 in the morning and then got up this morning and took care of Mason while I was at the hospital. I am grateful for my mom and sister, Whitney, who didn't hesitate to jump in the car and make the 2 1/2 hour drive out here first thing this morning. I am grateful for my grandparents who drove 45 minutes each way just to check on me and give me a blessing for 15 minutes. I am grateful for my coworkers who jumped in a took over so I didn't have to worry about the things I was supposed to today and tomorrow. I am grateful for the friends and family that texted me or called me to check on me. I am grateful for my beautiful baby boy who makes me smile even when things aren't great. I have soooo many blessings and things to be grateful for that I could take all day writing down each and every thing I am grateful for but I am overwhelmed with gratitude for everything I have. I have a good life, a great job, an incredible family and friends, a house I love, a pug to snuggle, an amazingly supportive and loving husband and new this year, the cutest, smiley baby boy who lights up my life every single day.
Thank you to everyone who makes my life better, even in the smallest ways, I want you all to know I appreciate every single one of you and the role you play in my life. Thank you for helping me make this one of the best years ever, for supporting me and being there for me! I love you all, and wish everyone the happiest Thanksgiving full of family, food, football and love.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
We need more compassion, kindness and tolerance in the world
It has been about a week since the LDS church announced it's new policy on the children of same-sex couples being baptized and the whole world went crazy. Before you close this thinking it is another blog about the policy, it's not, just bear with me while I get to the point.
Here in Utah, where the LDS religion dominates the news has caused quite the stir, I've seen countless posts from both sides about the new policy, one of which generated this blog idea. A friend of mine, a girl that I grew up with and had sleepovers with when I was in elementary school, shared a post by another about being ostracized because they weren't LDS. This girl shared the same sentiment and shared some terrible things she had been told when she was a little girl because she wasn't LDS. I immediately wanted to comment on her post and tell her how sorry I was that she had to deal with that as a child, but then I thought about it and the more I thought the more I couldn't guarantee that I hadn't been one of the mean little kids who said horrible things to her. And that made me incredibly sad. As a child I was a bratty know-it-all, if I knew something you didn't I wasn't afraid to tell you you were wrong, because I had prove that I was smarter than everyone else. And looking back it wouldn't surprise me if I inadvertently said something very hurtful, I really hope I didn't, but I don't know that for sure.
Which brings me to the actual point of this post, we need to be kind and compassionate and tolerant of each other and we need to teach our children the same things and let our actions show them that we mean it.
No two people are the same and that's a good thing, our unique differences are what makes this world a beautiful place. How boring would it be if we were all exactly the same? We shouldn't be teaching our children that being different is bad or that other people aren't as good as us because of religion or race or the car they drive. We shouldn't teach our children to exclude others because they are different or come from a different background or religion or social class or family dynamic than we do, because those are sometimes the people we learn the most from. We aren't born with built-in prejudices or biases towards certain people, those things are taught.
Do you really want to teach your children that they are better than someone else just because you go to church on Sunday and they don't? You can pass on your beliefs and value-system but while doing so also pass on love and compassion. Teach your children that there are people in the world who are different from them, who have different opinions and beliefs but that that doesn't make those people bad or wrong, just different and different is okay. Teach your children to make friends with the kids who are different than them, to share with them and be kind, because how would you feel if the roles were reversed and it was your child being left out or teased or bullied because they are different?
The golden rule still applies here people, "Treat others like you would want to be treated." It's a pretty simple concept that seems to have gotten lost behind the anonymity of the internet where people can hide behind a computer screen and say horrible things without repercussions. Don't help spread hate throughout world, because whether on social media or in person respect, kindness, love, compassion and tolerance are all things we could use a little more of in the world.
Here in Utah, where the LDS religion dominates the news has caused quite the stir, I've seen countless posts from both sides about the new policy, one of which generated this blog idea. A friend of mine, a girl that I grew up with and had sleepovers with when I was in elementary school, shared a post by another about being ostracized because they weren't LDS. This girl shared the same sentiment and shared some terrible things she had been told when she was a little girl because she wasn't LDS. I immediately wanted to comment on her post and tell her how sorry I was that she had to deal with that as a child, but then I thought about it and the more I thought the more I couldn't guarantee that I hadn't been one of the mean little kids who said horrible things to her. And that made me incredibly sad. As a child I was a bratty know-it-all, if I knew something you didn't I wasn't afraid to tell you you were wrong, because I had prove that I was smarter than everyone else. And looking back it wouldn't surprise me if I inadvertently said something very hurtful, I really hope I didn't, but I don't know that for sure.
Which brings me to the actual point of this post, we need to be kind and compassionate and tolerant of each other and we need to teach our children the same things and let our actions show them that we mean it.
No two people are the same and that's a good thing, our unique differences are what makes this world a beautiful place. How boring would it be if we were all exactly the same? We shouldn't be teaching our children that being different is bad or that other people aren't as good as us because of religion or race or the car they drive. We shouldn't teach our children to exclude others because they are different or come from a different background or religion or social class or family dynamic than we do, because those are sometimes the people we learn the most from. We aren't born with built-in prejudices or biases towards certain people, those things are taught.
Do you really want to teach your children that they are better than someone else just because you go to church on Sunday and they don't? You can pass on your beliefs and value-system but while doing so also pass on love and compassion. Teach your children that there are people in the world who are different from them, who have different opinions and beliefs but that that doesn't make those people bad or wrong, just different and different is okay. Teach your children to make friends with the kids who are different than them, to share with them and be kind, because how would you feel if the roles were reversed and it was your child being left out or teased or bullied because they are different?
The golden rule still applies here people, "Treat others like you would want to be treated." It's a pretty simple concept that seems to have gotten lost behind the anonymity of the internet where people can hide behind a computer screen and say horrible things without repercussions. Don't help spread hate throughout world, because whether on social media or in person respect, kindness, love, compassion and tolerance are all things we could use a little more of in the world.
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