Christmas

I am very grateful for family now more than ever. I went with my parents to visit my great-grandmother in Glendora, and realized just how blessed I am. She is 90 years old, and still alive. She cried when we left, and that made me want to run back, throw my arms around her and tell her that I LOVE her. No matter what, I will always love her.

She has, as she puts it, no friends that are still alive.

I have a lot of friends that are alive, that made me want to get in touch with them better.

She has no sense of smell anymore, so she can't taste much of the food she eats.

I can smell everything, sometimes unfortunately. That made me want to enjoy the ability to taste more.

She hates Christmas because she has never felt more alone, and it reminds her of how lonely she is.

I love Christmas because I am surrounded by loved ones, and reminds me of how loved I am.

This Christmas really made me sit back and appreciate the big and little things in my life. I am SO incredibly grateful for the gospel. The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has made me the woman I am today. The experiences I have been through, and knowing that the Lord is helping me through it has made me rejoice in my life, and look forward to the future. I know what my path is, and I am incredibly grateful for that. I know that Christ was born. He Lives. He died for us, but he lives still. He was resurrected. He suffered for all our sins, but He does care for us, and want us to be happy. He wants us to return to his presence. He loves us more than I can comprehend.

This Christmas season I am trying to really evaluate the important gifts in my life, and let go of the menial, the trivial, and the petty. I am grateful for family, the Gospel, the Lord, and the trials in my life. They are making me stronger. I am grateful that the best is yet to come. I still have a LONG life ahead of me, and I am going to strive every single day to keep working harder, visit my friends and family more, and love with everything in me. I want to live my life so that when I am 90, with my friends and family gone I can look back and be joyful of the life I lived like my Great-Grandmother does. She is a remarkable woman. She helps me to remember to LIVE, not survive.