Today during church I had a great moment of revelation. I wanted to write about it for my posterity. I wrote a few weeks ago about how Sacrament Meeting and Sunday's can be stressful and not restful. Today we arrived at church about 20 minutes early and there were no seats in the chapel so we had to sit in the chairs in the overflow. The overflow/gym is a completely different dynamic than the chapel. In the chapel most of the people do not have small kids, if any at all still at home. While in the overflow almost everyone has young kids. As I sat down and looked around I saw all these amazing families around us. These are homes where I know the parents are teaching their children to be good and true. I work with the kids each week in Primary and they are great kids! As the meeting progressed I noticed something, it was really noisy. Babies were crying, parents were wrestling squirming toddlers, preschoolers were talking loudly and dropping toys and so on. At that moment the strongest feeling came over me, this is how it really is. We had always sat in the chapel pews surrounded by people with no young children. No wonder I felt so much anxiety at keeping the kids quiet, every little movement or noise by the kids seemed so loud compared to the silent adults around us. I was focused so narrowly on my worries. When I had the chance to sit in the overflow I had a greater view. Here I was surrounded by people in the same situation and they have the exact same challenges. All of the sudden I had perspective. I sat there pondering some more and learned a little parenting lesson. Your worries and challenges as a parent can seem so huge and overwhelming if you focus closely on them. If you take a moment to step back and give yourself perspective, it really changes how things seem. Of course this principle applies to anything in life, I think that I am just slow to learn! I am grateful that Heavenly Father gave me that loving reminder to day.
This is a picture of Albuquerque at sunset, it looks this way most nights. Whenever I look out at the view I feel a sense of calm. It also helps give me perspective.
4 comments:
20 minutes early and NO SEATS?! Yikes. Our chapel would be totally empty that early! So I take it you'll be in the overflow for a few more years? :)
That is a beautiful view!
And I could use a perspective change as well.
That's interesting... I haven't once sat on a bench (oh, wait, one Sunday when a lot of people were out of town and we were 15 minutes early). I have, however, sat behind you guys and I think your kids are very well behaved considering their ages. Sacrament meeting is so hard, but Mormon kids are amazing because eventually they learn, and most kids would not sit "quietly" for over an hour! Anyway, I like your thought and I'll have to keep the whole perspective thing in mind :)
Thank you!
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