"Time May Change Me"

I love life! It's really is amazing. And, prepare to be amazed here, I am not dreading all of the CHANGE coming. Actually, I've been feeling really nostalgic and looking forward to a lot of the new things coming. I'm learning yet again that the only constant in life is change. I've been thinking so much about change, how to make changes that I want, and all of the changes that I can't do anything about but prepare for them before they come.

So, these changes that I want to make. I'm taking a WWII History class, and it's really interesting, but last week it required that we watch an edited version of the film Schindler's List. Beka and Camille came with me to watch it because we'd talked about wanting to see it just a couple weeks before. When we got home afterward I asked Beka what we do now. Something like that should change your life, right? So how do we make effective changes? She reminded me that everything we learn changes us in some way, changes our perspective.

And then we got to listen to General Conference this weekend! This brought more changes I need to make. So many one-liners to incorporate into my life: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication; the Lord has voted for you, Lucifer has voted against you, it's your vote that counts; to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven; love is spelled T-I-M-E; and the rest of the 12 hours of conference. I love the gospel!

And then there are the changes that I can only be aware of and try to prepare for. And those are all of the changes that scare me. Everything is so different. I look at myself now, and I don't always recognize me in all of this change! Three years ago I was someone completely different, and I've CHANGED so much since then. Not only do I look at pictures and think, wow, I'm so glad I have contacts and just don't look like that anymore, but that I am fundamentally different. And I'm glad for the changes in life that have helped me learn and grow and change, so I'm remembering that as I'm looking at all of the change coming in the next few months.

And really, what it comes down to is being me and realizing how right we were that year in the Elms: remembering who I am and remaining constant to those parts of me that really matter, but changing and becoming better at the same time.

Love you girls!!