Patience Lens

I've slowly been learning the beauty of patience. It's hard because I'm such a "get it done now" type of person generally and that is not how things generally work out. I think the Lord keeps trying to remind me of my patience problem, giving me opportunities to learn.

For instance, when I was deciding on a college I wanted a decision made October of my senior year. My answer didn't come until March. Let me tell you, that was a rough time because I wanted to make plans (ie schedule, housing, etc) but couldn't because I couldn't decide where the best fit was for me. After a long wait and a great trial of patience I got my answer and things fell into place.

Last night my patience was tried as I attempted to sign up for classes. That headache certainly taught me to step back, breath, and stop acting like delays were the end of the world. (a surprisingly common problem)

I could bore you with more stories but I'll save it. You probably wouldn't have the patience to sit through many more of them anyways ;) Anyways, keep calm and soldier on. Be happy and don't freak out. You are loved. Results are worth the wait.

-M

Different Lens

So I generally try to present my most neutral opinions on here because I want people to be willing to consider them without getting offended all over the place. But today I'd like to venture out into the religious sphere for a moment.

One of my favorite quotes is from Johnny Depp: "There are four questions of value in life... What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love."

I think that is an interesting insight into the nature of love and the nature of our spirits. I do believe each of us has a spirit and that our spirits will go to Heaven when we die. I believe we were created by a divine father who loved us enough to give us life and a way back to him. We exist because he loves us with a love so deep and incomprehensible.

In this modern society I think the concept of love is taken so lightly some times that it has lost its significance for some. Does this mean I think you shouldn't tell your friends and family that you love them all the time? No. Do. That is important. But I think to really show people we love them it has to be deeper. Like the quote said, love is what we live and die for. It is what we should hold sacred. We need to treat it as such.

Something I found interesting in a recent culture lesson in my Chinese class is that most people in China won't vocally tell each other they love each other very often. Their love is expressed through their actions and sacrifices. I think we could all do well by following their example of love through action. Because honestly, which is more valuable: telling something "I love you," or serving them in some way to make their life easier. Service is an expression of love and I think it will beat out vocalizing your love most of the time. 

I think we could all use a little more love. Because if we just love everyone we don't have to worry about the burdens of jealousy, guilt, hatred, etc.

Love much,
M

Culture Lens

When it comes to experiencing art I'd like to believe that I'm willing to try anything once. Tonight I got to check something off the list: opera. Real, Italian, Mozart-composed opera. And let me tell you, it was an extraordinary culture experience.

The program from Cosi fan Tutte.

I kind of ended up going on accident but I'm totally glad I went. Originally I was going for a Humanities class project but the project got cancelled after I had already purchased a ticket. I could have given up the ticket but I was sort of interested in really experiencing an opera. 

The name of the program I attended is Cosi fan Tutte. It was composed by Mozart, performed by BYU vocal performance students. 

I didn't really know what to expect going in because I didn't want prejudices to cloud my experience. It began with this beautiful introduction by the orchestra and then shortly thereafter the action began.

The performance was truly beautiful in its own way. The comedic plot, extraordinarily talented actors, and exceptional orchestra pulled together to create an amazing experience for me. It had me laughing nearly the whole time. No, I probably wouldn't frequent the opera, but I would definitely go see another. There is something unique about the superfluous, gaudy nature of opera that is quite intriguing. 

I guess the moral of the story is don't judge a book (or an art form) by its cover (or prejudices). Have an open mind as you learn to appreciate the talents of others and their expressions of emotion. There is so much beauty, so much to stand in awe of if we're willing to embrace culture

-M

PS If anyone is interested in seeing this show they still have some performances that you should definitely check out. To learn more about the plot of Cosi fan Tutte click here.

Alive Lens

Oh my lands I haven't written in 5 days! Must'a been up to no good. Actually not really. My life has been pretty uneventful.

Today I'd like to discuss the beauty of being alive. Think about it, when is the last time you stepped back and really thought about how glad you were that you were alive and breathing? Now that you're thinking about it and are fully aware of the fact that you're not dead, here are some great quotes:

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

-Marcus Aurelius

I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.

-Joseph Campbell

You are either alive and proud or you are dead, and when you are dead, you can't care anyway.

-Steven Biko

Every day is a good day to be alive, whether the sun's shining or not.

-Marty Robbins

Moral of the story kiddies: we are so intricate and full of purpose that we simply cannot be ignorant of it. By being alive we automatically take on the mantle of potential. I believe we all have great works to accomplish in whatever form and we need to be grateful that we are here, alive, able to rise to the challenge of life.

The reason I bring this topic up is because I think it something we're more aware of when we get sick (like I was). Nothing is so precious as life and health as when we're not feeling full of life or healthy. I've personally never had a near-death-experience but I'm sure they also make you critically aware of the fact that you are alive.

Take home lesson: appreciate your life today. Be happy you are you and that you are here at this time. Remember this even when it gets hard. For as the great Dr. Seuss said, " Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!"

-M 

*quotes courtesy of Brainy Quotes

Busy Lens

I feel like people often complain that they just need a break. They need time to relax and recuperate. Have these people actually had these imagined hiatuses? Or have they just been doing it wrong? Not sure, but I've decided it's better to have things to do than nothing. I think there are many benefits and that people just need to find balance.

For example (there is always an example) today at work I had things to do or people to talk to basically the entire time, and you know what, something magical happened: work FLEW by. By the time my replacement J. came in I was completely surprised to see him. Normally I'm counting down the minutes, but since I had things to do I didn't have any time to complain to myself how bored I was. Having nothing to do does not equal time to relax. Having nothing to do means you're wasting time. It seems like there is always something more to do and doing things helps the time go by faster. (I guess that could be a good or bad thing) 

I think someone is going to need to remind me of this post in a few months when Winter semester starts, but it is a blessing to be busy. I thank the Lord for having meaningful things to do each day. Because the more we seek to keep ourselves busily involved in good, productive things the more good opportunities we will receive. At least that's what I've found; the best opportunities come at the busiest moments.

Granted, being busy is only good if it is busy in meaningful work. Busying oneself with social media, online games, or other things that could prevent us from seeing the big picture is not good. One of my favorite quotes is, "Don't let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." -President Monson. So stay busy, but prioritize your life and involve yourself in good things. I think this will make life more meaningful.

-M

Got a thought to share or whatever else? Shoot me an email at summer15@studentbody.byu.edu

Weather and Encouragement Lens

I'm going to jump around topics today a bit because I can never make up my mind what to write about.

First, the weather. I've been wanting to write about this for a while but kept putting it off. Today it rained and it felt wonderful! It is always amazing to me what effect weather can have on one's mood. Rainy days seem to be generally productive, and indeed today was.

One of my favorite parts of the day is walking from the MOA to my 8 o'clock class. I have nothing better to do on that daily walk except observe, and I get to observe the most wonderful things. I can see how the sun hits the mountain peaks. I can see how the clouds hug the mountain. I can see how the leaves fall or when they change colors. I can breath in fresh air and enjoy my surroundings. I'm not saying we have the most beautiful campus in the world, but I sure love my view each morning.

Ok part two, encouragement. We all love it, and when properly placed it can be duly sincere and reassuring. I don't know if I've expressed my gratitude for this individual before or not, but I have an awesome Chinese TA. He's really good at what he does and is super encouraging to all his students. He'll never criticize without noting something good first. Today for instance I went to get help for the oral test that is coming up that I was feeling completely not confident for. I hate any form of performance in front of small groups (especially for a grade) and I haven't had a ton of practice of simply conversing for a good length of time. The TA didn't dismiss my concerns as silly, he simply tried his best to help me practice conversation until I felt more confident. It is amazing how well placed encouragement can increase confidence. I'm thankful for people that have this gift. Suffice it to say that I am now feeling a lot better about my midterm this week.

Thing to work on: learn how to sincerely encourage others.

-M

Key Moment Lens

I think one of the profound things about being a human is our ability to experience key moments of clarity, sometimes even epiphanies. These sweet moments can be life-altering or simply reassuring. I thought this was particularly prevalent in light of the excitement over the LDS Church's recent announcement about lowering the acceptable missionary age for both men and women. I'm not saying THAT affected me, but I think a lot of people can relate to that right now.

For me, my moment of clarity came at the Major fair today. I've been an open-major as of late because I didn't want to commit to a major that I wasn't absolutely thrilled with. I began taking the Management school pre-reqs because that is where I've been leaning and so far I have loved the class I'm taking (my next one starts in a week and a half). With this encouragement, I went to the major fair today to check out the Management booth. You'll never guess what happened. As I was standing near the booth the representatives were switching shifts and the new guy happened to be a Global Supply Chain emphasis in the Management school. He told me all about the major, what types of people fit it well, and the potential job opportunities associated with it. My mind was blown. It was exactly what I've been looking for. It will be hard, yes, but most definitely a good fit. Just talking to the guy about it made me excited! I'm so grateful for the people that are put in our paths to tell us where we should be headed. 

This post is kind of short, so I'd love to hear about your moments of clarity. They're pretty spectacular. 

-M

Update Lens

Goodness, I have not posted in a long-ish time. As such, I'm simply going to bombard you with another list of things I happen to be thankful for.

1. General Conference
2. People that say the right thing at the right time.
3. Opportunities.
4. Friends/Acquaintances.
5. Car rides.
6. A working car.
7. Good teachers/professors.
8. A planner.
9. Friendly, helpful people at the Writing Center that will help me set up an appointment.
10. Quilts/blankets.
11. Knowledge of who I am.
12. The feeling you get when you finish an assignment (especially if it was tedious).
13. Clean dishes.
14. Good food.
15. The Ryde.
16. Having a variety of music at my fingertips.
17. Having a laptop that doesn't constantly malfunction.
18. Being able to know/have a good relationship with both sets of grandparents.
19. Being healthy.
20. Never forgetting my keys to my apartment. (knock on wood)
21. For not passing out during Chinese AND remembering the dialogue.
22. Driving safely to and from my parents' house.
23. Having a bed to sleep in.
24. Funny hedgehog pictures that make me smile :)

Phew, good to get that off my chest ;) What are you thankful for today?

-M

Perspective Lens

Today as I was walking around campus I noticed some things that were bothering me and I immaturely thought how I would post it on Facebook later. Then when I got home I realized I had forgotten what had bothered me. It mad me realize how pointless it is to get caught up in petty things. Because in the long run none of it will matter. I guess it's all about perspective.

Speaking of perspective, I love those pleasant moments when your perspective changes for the better, like when you meet someone new or experience a new piece of art. I think adopting a new perspective is a sign of maturity and growth in a person, showing they are capable of seeing outside themselves, even if only fleetingly.

One of the biggest game changers for me actually happened last year but I think it's still relevant. I went to Taiwan to work at English summer camps/service camps. It was so humbling to be in a new country and introduced to its culture. Asian culture specifically is so different from our individualistic society that I learned about the effectiveness of humility, team work, and generosity. I felt inside myself that I came back an entirely different person from when I left. My soul had somehow aged because I learned to see outside myself.

On a more relatable scale, since I have come to college I've been going through that whole new-situation, new-self thing and as such have met a lot of people that have helped shape the new me. Probably one of my favorite things in the entire world is talking one-on-one with someone and learning about who they are. I hope I don't sound like I creep but I love breaking down a person to their elements, ie their background, what experiences have shaped them, and what they want to become. I've been fortunate enough to have some deep conversations with people that expose who they really are. Generally when this has happened, I gain a new respect for the individual and have the ability to see them in a different light. I can then see the person in context and it is humbling. It's far too easy to make assumptions about people until we see where they've been. When we know where someone has been it becomes difficult to disdain that trial-worn individual.

In case you were wondering where this commentary came from, I talked to a kid on the bus from my ward today who is also in my Chinese class and I was humbled a bit. He was not what I was expecting at all and I was pleasantly surprised by my new companion. It was exciting to see how much we had in common and our conversation lasted until we had to part ways off the bus. It was a nice reminder to me that people simply cannot be defined by our first impressions, because first impressions are fleeting and trivial while a person is much more complex deep inside.

Ok kiddies, go forth and see the world from a different angle.

-M

Feeling Good Lens

No the title is not referencing Michael Buble's version of that fabulous song. I have made some feel good observations today that I wanted to share.

One of the things I noticed today was the sky/skyline as I was waiting for the bus. After my Humanities class I was laying out in front of the art museum because it was 20 minutes before the bus would arrive when I noticed how incredibly blue the sky was. I'm sure it is often this vivid, but having the moment to slow down and appreciate was beautiful. It was so striking against the rugged mountain peaks. And don't even get me started about the foliage. I so badly wanted my camera at that moment but sadly I've gotten out of the habit of taking it everywhere. Anyways, seeing this scene was so calming and strangely invigorating (is that possible?)

This morning I woke up at 5 so I could do laundry before school but the laundromat was fighting with me so I couldn't. But despite that, the walk to and from the laundromat was awesome! Totally worth being awake at 5 AM. There were stars shining and it was chill enough make me appreciate my hoody, but not so cold that I was uncomfortable. I kind of wanted to stay out there... but then I realized how creepy that would be and went back inside my apartment. By the time I got settle back in my room I had 30 minutes to do whatever so I laid on my bed and listened to Mat Kearney on my ipod. It was so relaxing and made it not as hard to finally get out of bed to get ready for the day.

Yesterday after church I made rolls from scratch for the first time. It was a lot of fun and so gratifying to see the results of my labor. The rolls didn't turn out horrible like I was expecting. I took them to a potluck and they were gone in like 10 minutes... haha. It made me feel good that people appreciated them so much. Maybe that's just my vanity messing with my head, but whatever. It also made me happy to see how much effort everyone else put into their dishes. It was a way fun activity and very delicious.

Now my nerdy moment: I make a list of homework that I need to accomplish each day in my planner so I don't miss anything. Every time I cross something off the list I do a little happy dance on the inside because that means I'm one step closer to successfully closing my day. It means I've made progress. Same thing happens when I clean something in my apartment. Like when I do my dishes or hang up my clothes. Goodness I feel like I'm getting old. Is it normal to get excited about completing these things? Not sure. Oh well.

Anyways, I'd love to hear what makes YOU feel good. And if you don't know, figure it out :)

-M