my thoughts on medicine

I know it's random... read till the end.

I'm not one who believes in homeopathic remedies, Chinese medicine, herbs, crystals, organic food, or the like. It's completely fine if you do, but I am a modern medicine seeking girl. I'm not saying I overdo it, but if I'm sick (which I rarely am), I prefer to take my chances with someone who went to school for approximately 5000 years. I was a Biology major at BYU and held my own with all of those pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-physical-therapy, pre-chiropractic, pre-smarty-smart-pants. Point: it was brutal and it was only an undergraduate degree and I have some credentials (barely) to back up my opinion about choosing doctors over non-doctors. Try to persuade me all you want, but there is a great level of comfort for me in seeing multiple degrees behind the person into whose hands I'm putting my life. I am stubborn.

Fact and perhaps contradiction to aforementioned facts: I love massage therapists and reflexologists and fully support their line of work. I had the most relaxing hour and a half massage tonight. I highly recommend it to anyone interested and will be happy to pass on the information of said therapist.

Massages are one of the greatest pleasures on earth.

the most

The most tired.

The most freezing.

The most drenched.

The most perspiration.

The most tattered.

The most beautiful.

The most sacred.

The most joy.

The absolute greatest thing I have ever had the privilege of doing.

summer

Sleeping in. Lunch with my sister and her boyfriend. Laying out at the pool with my bestie. Jack Johnson. Reading. Strawberries and cream. Beautiful night outside at the rodeo with friends. Homemade bread with homemade jam. Seeing the stars while driving late at night. I adore summer.

orchid plant

Bought this little thing yesterday. Don't really know how to take care of it.

the car salesman

Today I took a drive to go look at some cars. While I love car shows (and wish I had been attending one), I went to go test drive some used cars. I first saw this guy my aunt recommended and then later went over to a dealership. It was at the dealership where I met the car salesman. We got in a car for a little test drive and after 3 minutes of knowing one another, he started telling me all about his life (it was non-creepy): his past addictions, how he's thinking of going back to school to study social work with the goal of running interventions, how he had an intervention of his own a few months prior, missions, his feelings on the Atonement and the Savior, his desire as of late to spend more time with his 4 children and subsequent desire to not be a workaholic and make lots of money, and so forth. The car salesman also asked me when my birthday was and then proceeded to tell me all about myself based on my zodiac sign (aries). Some of my favorite comments included, "You're most likely very opinionated," and "You're really stubborn, aren't you?" and "When you're mad, you are in a rage." (I tried to redeem my honor by telling him some of my more favorable traits.) After we drove a few cars around, I was happy to shake his hand and be on my way. I thought about him and the situation for a good majority of my drive home. I think that sometimes people just really have a lot on their mind and need someone to listen to them. There are few greater compliments than that of someone feeling like they can trust you within minutes of meeting you.

to live greatly...

I love subscribing to the Ensign magazine. There's always something each month that helps me in some way. In this month's issue there is a great article by President Thomas S. Monson called "Canaries with Gray on Their Wings." One of the things he says in it has really stuck with me, and it's the quote that I'm focusing on this month:

"To live greatly, we must develop the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility."

What a poignant, inspirational message. I have seen so many great examples in my life of people who practice this. One of my brothers, Ryan, is a missionary right now in the Denver, Colorado South mission. He teaches people constantly about the blessings that can come into their lives as they listen to and obey what the Lord has to tell them. Often, people choose not to follow what you teach them and it breaks your heart: you know how much joy they would find if only they would test what you're testifying of. It can be a tiring work, and some days you feel like you can't give any more, yet his letters are full of love and enthusiasm for the people he meets and the work he's doing. He preaches the gospel cheerfully and with courage because of his love for the Lord and his testimony of the restored gospel.

(Elder Johnson on the left.)

I am so blessed. I fear that too often I don't recognize all of the wonderful things that I've been given but instead wish for the things I think I'm lacking. A group of missionaries I taught once told me that when we look for the blessings we want, we won't find them; we need to learn to see what God has given us. As President Monson said, to live greatly we need to have courage and cheerfulness during times of trial, sorrow and heartache, and we need to recognize the Lord's hand in our lives and practice the virtue of humility when we succeed. Ultimately, I think that to live greatly is to strive to be an example of Christ by emulating Him in the times that it seems most difficult to do.