Although things have ended with the boy I dated for a year, I can't help but be so happy at the things I DO have going on for me in my life. Yes, it does seem like everyone and their dog is engaged and married, but I had a lesson today in institute that changed my perspective completely.
My institute teacher is a women who is 40 years of age. She is beautiful and is amazing in every single way. I really look up to her...she just has never had the opportunity to get married. But our lessons are on "women in the scriptures" and she quoted this from President Thomas S. Monson:
"Fill your heart with love. Women, you truly are angels of mercy. This is demonstrated on a grand scale through the humanitarian outreach to the cold, the hungry and to suffering wherever it is found."
She talked about the space between dating and getting married and how it's an opportunity to be an angel of mercy. Not saying that those who are married and have kids aren't angels of mercy, but there's a different duty that those who are single can fill.
I have a lot of friends going through the same "slump" of time where they feel like they're the only ones not getting married, and they're the ones that can't find the right one, or it's not working. Of course, I as well, have had my moments of feeling like "it never works out with anyone I date." or thoughts of "meh, i've done the engagement thing before, i'd rather not."
It's discouraging.
But after this lesson I have a new outlook on life. Yes, of course I want to get married (although joining the nunary sounds nice as well) but there is so much to live for! Instead of waiting around for the "right thing to happen" I want to MAKE the right things happen by doing more than just my typical everyday things.
I recently have met a friend who is a prime example of this. Every chance he gets he serves anyone and everyone around him. It's very admirable. I would definitely consider him an angel of mercy because he is constantly involved in the lives of others. I want to be like that. I want to be the relief of someone's day, or the breathe of fresh air that someone needs.
Sometimes things don't always turn out how you plan them to...in fact, most of the time I would have to say they don't hardly at all! But I think it's about what we DO have control over and what we CAN do is what really matters. Then everything else will fall into place.
I hope to be an angel of mercy to those around me. Definitely have a lot I need to work on, but I couldn't be more grateful for what I've been given and this time in my life.
