Lately, I have had a lot on my mind. I feel so blessed-- mostly because we decided on forever. Not until recently did I realize what
this meant or how blessed I am for it. I remember being so excited I got
this blog name thinking, “What? Did I spell that wrong? I totally scored at
getting a great wedding blog name!” That was pretty much the extent of my
thought process. I was not thinking about our eternal love. I was simply
thinking about a cute name for a wedding blog. But recently, I have thought that
the blog name is still perfect. It is now, it will be when we
have children and grandchildren, and it will always be.
Like I said, I don’t think I understood what forever meant
when I married Peter. And when we were first married, I sure was not excited for
forever. Marriage was difficult our first couple of years. We loved one another but it was tough. Literally, I
remember crying hysterically because I could hear Peter breathing. Poor Peter.
Somehow along the way, I have become more patient and more loving. I can laugh
about things he does that use to make me angry or sad. I have learned to love
those things about him. (Don’t get me wrong. I still cry and get mad but I am
easier to forgive and love). Peter has always been the better half of us and I
love him for that. Seriously though, read Peter’s personality test result here.
Are you surprised that someone could be so wonderful? Don’t be. The test result
is so accurate and he always thinks about me before himself. I love him. He is
my best friend.
I am grateful that I never gave myself the option of
quitting. Whenever times got tough, I thought, sometimes begrudgingly, “we
decided on forever.” I know that we will continue to have trials but I can
always remind myself of that and continue on. I am grateful for opportunities to repent and for always being forgiven.
My last thought is this. I heard this quote the other day
from President Henry B. Eyring and haven’t been able to get it out of my mind
since.
When I was a young man, I served as counselor to a wise district president in the Church. He tried to teach me. One of the things I remember wondering about was this advice he gave: “When you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time.” I thought then that he was pessimistic. Now, more than 40 years later, I can see how well he understood the world and life.
Every time I go into Del Taco, I think that someone sitting and
eating in a booth is probably having the toughest day of their life. More than eight years ago, my sisters
and I went to Del Taco the day that my mom passed away. I know other people at
the restaurant had no idea what a difficult day we were having. I’ll never
forget the heartache I experienced that day. People feel that sadness, or
even more sadness, every day. Be good to people.
Last week, a good friend of mine lost her husband shortly
after she gave birth to their first child. I am sure that she is comforted
knowing that their family is forever; they will be reunited one day. This tragedy
reminded me of the love I have for Peter. I have held him tighter each night
and kissed him more each day after hearing of her loss. The thought of losing
him is unbearable and I am proud of my friend for her tremendous strength and
bravery. I am grateful for the knowledge I have that if something were to
happen to Peter or me, I would see him again and would be with him forever. I am so happy that we
decided on forever.
