Perceptions

I loved the topic of class today...perception. It is amazing to think about all of the things that are going on around us every day, and we only "perceive" such a limited portion of it all!
I think that, while we are not able to concentrate on the many things that are constantly going on around us all at once, it is important to remember that we do have a choice as to what we choose to concentrate on and what we allow our focus to be. If we choose to let our focus be the world then our perception will be more of a worldly one. While, on the other hand, if we work to make our focus be The Gospel then we will, in my opinion, have a perception that is broader and that can encompass the good things of this world, as well as the broader perception of eternity.

When I started my car, right after class today, my radio came on. It was set to KBYR, and instead of music there was a conference talk on. It was a talk given by President Monson in 2008. As I listened to his talk part of it really stood out to me. He told about Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town:
"In the play Emily Webb dies in childbirth, and we read of the lonely grief of her young
husband, George, left with their four-year-old son. Emily does not wish to rest in peace; she
wants to experience again the joys of her life. She is granted the privilege of returning to
earth and reliving her 12th birthday. At first it is exciting to be young again, but the
excitement wears off quickly. The day holds no joy now that Emily knows what is in store for
the future. It is unbearably painful to realize how unaware she had been of the meaning and
wonder of life while she was alive. Before returning to her resting place, Emily laments, 'Do
… human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?'"
I loved that last line! It made me stop and think about how I see the world. Do I realize the joys of life? Or, do I choose to focus on things that are unimportant or sad? I am going to make that a goal for myself, I am going to try to realize life while I am living it!
If you have time to read President Monson's whole talk I would encourage you to! It is a great talk. You can find it on LDS.org, just search "Finding Joy in the Journey" or just click Here.