Forget-Me-Nots

Yesterday in church, a new woman in our ward gave a beautiful talk based on Elder Uchtdorf's talk from the RS General Broadcast last September.  It was the one about the little forget-me-nots.  I remember loving that talk when I heard it the first time, but I loved it even more when I heard it yesterday.  I listened to it again this morning just to remind me one more time why I love Conference.  

The first time I heard this talk, I think I pulled something entirely different, but equally meaningful from it.  I think I heard the part about not being so hard on ourselves, and not comparing my weaknesses to everyone else's strengths. 

Yesterday and today, though, I heard this...

Forget NOT to be happy NOW!

So many people today are waiting for their own golden ticket - the ticket they believe holds the key to the happiness they have always dreamed of.  There is nothing wrong with righteous yearnings.  We seek after things that are "virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy."  The problem comes when we put our happiness on hold as we wait for some future event - our golden ticket - to appear.  If we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us.

The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket.  They are those who, while in the pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments.  They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives.  These are they who are truly happy.

It's hard to remember that everyday.  I have made a conscious effort since starting this blog to find those little forget-me-nots each day.  They're there...but some days they are more apparent than others.  Some days I am only grateful for the tiniest things.  And other days I feel abundantly blessed and I'm compelled to write multiple posts or at least say multiple prayers.  But the fact is...I am abundantly blessed every single day.  One of the things on my 2012 Manifesto is to BE GRATEFUL.  So on some future day when I find myself frustrated that I'm still waiting for those fabulous roses, I'm going to remember to look at all the little forget-me-nots I already have. 

Today I am grateful for 70 degree weather in January, for amazing neighbors with amazing kids, for priesthood blessings, and for my little June who is peacefully snoring beside me so that I can peacefully sleep tonight while the Scout Master is out of town.