We are who we are

This picture has really been on my mind lately. I saw it on facebook and of course "liked" it. (I'm so addicted to the little blue thumbs up sign!) But as I was laying down for a quick nap before class I just started reflecting on it and decided this is a subject I'm passionate about. Which is what has led me to writing this blog post instead of taking a much needed power nap. This should say something about how important I think this is because... I really love my sleep. Anybody that knows me will know this. But then, is it possible to really know someone if you've never taken the time to know their past? Everyone has a story. Everyone. It's what has shaped them into being who they are. It's what drives their passions and encourages their fears. Those "skeletons in the closet" create human beings, people, with feelings and emotions. Nobody is perfect. Christ taught us that and he was the one person who walked this earth who was closest to perfection. I feel that people are so hard on each other. But what I wonder is why? Why would we want to make others feel like they aren't enough? That they're inferior? That they're a failure? Have we not all been there? Everyone has something they regret. Decisions they've made that they wish they could take back. Bridges they've burned that can never be rebuilt. Hearts they've broken that they would give anything to mend. We make mistakes. To err is human. We all need to accept that and accept each other. We all struggle from day to day and yet we try to tear each other down for these struggles. It doesn't make sense to me. Why would you tear others down when you know how it feels to hurt that bad? To feel like you're as low as you can possibly get? Just think about those closest to you or those you care about most. Have you ever asked them what they've been through? What made them who they are today? I think you'd be surprised at the answers you get and yet... It wouldn't change your love for that person. What changes when that person becomes a classmate or a coworker? You really have no idea who they are until you know they're story. In all honesty, they're complete strangers to you. It seems like multitudes of people want world peace but nobody wants to look inside themselves and make the change to obtain it. I feel like everybody, no matter where you're at in life, can work on just connecting with people. Take the time to listen to people and let them know they're important. Let them know that everything will be ok. Be there to support them and give them a shoulder to cry on. Take down those walls that hold back your past. You never know who is going through or has gone through something similar to you. Don't judge people for what you think you know about them. Help them to be in a better place than they were, spiritually, mentally and even physically. We all have imperfections and weaknesses. Just like in Ether 12:27 where it says, "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble." It doesn't say so that God gives men weakness to shun and degrade others. We're all God's children and no matter what we do, God still loves us. Just remember that the next time you're in class or at work or just anywhere for that matter. Reach out to people. Let them know that you're there for them. Take the time today to build someone up and support them because everyone matters. We're all God's children. He knows us all individually. He knows everything that we've done. Who we are. Who we can become. And he loves us all the same.

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

-Bill Withers

The things I learn at college!

I had a very interesting experience yesterday. I was walking to my organ lesson and it's only my second one ever with this teacher. So I'm still a little nervous around him but it's getting better. I get to the Snow building and we start our organ lesson. We start with a little small talk, you know, the usual "we still don't know each other but let's be cordial anyways" awkward conversations. The lesson continues and about halfway through he asks me, "Do you know what Kyrie means?" I look at him and about a thousand thoughts cross my mind. How am I supposed to answer?? I had no idea what it meant! I didn't even know how to pronounce the word until he said it for me! Should I take a guess at what it could mean based on how the piece sounded? No I couldn't do that. There's too many ways that a piece could be interpreted! The chances that I guessed right were too slim and I'd feel so very dumb after that. Should I simply say no and try to spout off facts to still show I had a slight knowledge about something?? That wasn't going to work either. I always hate that when people do it to me so I'm guessing it'd be the same situation for him. So it was settled. I was going to tell him the plain, simple and honest truth. "I don't know", I replied. "Well good!" He exclaimed. "I didn't expect you to!" I was flooded with relief! He then explained that it means Lord have mercy. The lesson went on and he paused looking at me, "Do you know what two voices are the hardest to put together when practicing?" Man! This guy was on a roll! I may not be the brightest crayon in the box but I'm definitely not the dullest! Again I contemplated what my possible reply could be wondering if I dare take another chance and admit I didn't know. I thought for a moment and again I decided on the plain, simple and honest truth. "I have no idea." He looked at me with a smile and asked, "Well what's hardest for you?" "Well the tenor and alto in this piece but I'm guessing that's not the two." He laughed, "Well you got one of them. Usually it's the tenor and bass but obviously that was an unfair question of me to ask seeing as everyone is different." I was amazed. I had just admitted that I didn't know something not once but twice to someone that I was trying to make a good impression on. As my lesson ended and I walked back to my dorm I reflected on what had just happened. And all of a sudden it just hit me! It's OK to not know everything! It's OK to not understand something, to ask questions and to let somebody teach you something they know! The world has just put this expectation on us that we shouldn't do this! That accepting someone else knows more makes you look weak. That making a good impression means showing off your abilities or knowledge. This is not true in the slightest! And my organ teacher had just shown me this important lesson without even trying to! Boy was I grateful he did though. Not only is it a super important lesson to be learned but it made things tons more comfortable. It was a great feeling to know that I could be wrong and not know something and that it was ok! The whole reason we were put on this earth was to learn and grow. So duh! Of course we're not supposed to know everything. But somehow I had lost sight of that minor detail and it has caused way to much self criticism. Looking back I think about all the times I've let someone make me feel bad because I thought I wasn't as good as them just because I didn't know as much as them. It's so ridiculous to me. Why did I let them make me feel inferior? Why did I not just ask them more questions so that I could learn more? Then of course, as if by cue, I could hear the words my mother would be saying to me, in my head. "Nobody can make you feel inferior Brianna. Only you can." Or my favorite which seems to be interchangeable and apply to any situation, "Smart is as smart does." I had made myself feel like I had to be someone else to impress someone when in actuality, I'm just me!!! :) So just remember that folks! It's ok to not know something :) Just make sure you have a constant desire to learn more and to let not only other people but God teach you! :)


"Only by recognizing the infancy of our knowledge will we ever be able to learn truths of the eternities."   - Benjamin Devey

A pear?

There are some things in life that are too priceless to ever let them fade from your memory. Like holding a newborn baby, feeling how fragile yet strong it really is. Realizing how much someone will fight for you. Or facing the exhilarating excitement and fear of being on your own. These things shape our character and make us into who we are today. I've been thinking a great deal on the past lately and I can't believe the difference that time makes in a person's life or the impact people can have on you. I look back on the last year, through all the ups and downs, and can't help but be grateful for everything I've been through. Even more than that, I'm grateful for the people in my life that have helped me see who I want to be and are helping me become that person. You'll never know the influence you have on people or the difference, for good or bad, you can make in their lives. I have tried to keep that in mind as much as possible going into my new college experience hoping that I can make a difference each and every day. So that I can help someone create a priceless memory that can change their life forever. I want to be someone that people want to remember. My drive in this desire? Fear. Fear of being easily overlooked and forgotten when I'm gone. Fear that I can't make an impact on those around me. Fear that I can't inspire others for good. And it is because of this fear that I have learned to connect with people so easily. I've always loved the quote, "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Everyone should do their best to show people how much they mean to them. You never know what someone is going through and the struggles they face everyday. Let people know you care, tell them you love them as often as possible. Treat every moment with them as though it were their last. This world needs more love. We as human beings need more love. Now, you may be wondering why I decided to write about such a random (yet important) topic for the first post of my blog. My reasoning for it, is because of the impact someone has made on my life. For their encouragement and love. The understanding about my feelings that I'd never dared share with anyone. For their openness and complete genuineness. For their ability to have fun and teach people to let loose. For picking themselves up every time life has knocked them down. For teaching me how to fight, not only for myself but for others, no matter how bad it hurts. For being someone I don't have to put walls up to be around. And lastly, for being the only person to call me a lovely pear and make an everlasting impression. May we learn to accept all people, to help them, to listen to them and to love them. Because in the end, you could be what saves them.