25/52

 

The true end of life is not mere existence.  The true purpose of life is the perfection of humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of God's inspiration.  Real life is response to the best within us.  To be alive only to appetite, pleasure, pride, money-making, and not to goodness and kindness, purity and love, poetry, music, flowers, stars, God and eternal hopes, is to deprive one's self of the real joy of living.

 - David O. McKay

This quote touched my heart this week and I could elaborate, but I think I rather just leave it at that for now. 

Celebrating fathers this week was especially fun since my parents were staying with me over the weekend so I had the chance to give my dad lots of hugs and enjoy having him {and my mom} around my place making it feel even more like home. I had planned out what I thought was going to be the perfect way to let my dad know that he is my hero by taking him to see one of his favorites, Superman.  But when it was sold out we ended up seeing Ephraim's Rescue and it didn't take long to see that we were watching the life of a true hero.  Funny how true it is that life happens while you're making other plans.  And usually it's better than your original plans right?

Since I'm the ultimate planner, that phrase has taken on more meaning over the years as time and again I'm reminded that my plans are useless.  Futile.  OK, not futile, or useless.  It's important to be proactive and take the initiative and all that, but it is so reassuring to know that my plans are just the things to keep me occupied while my path is directed in a way that will be more intrinsic to my overall happiness in the long run. 

A few of the highlights

Celebrating Grandma Awesome.  Perfect weather for a BBQ.  Great company.  No surprise that she won cards that night and graciously let the newcomer win one too.

Weird as it may sound - loosing my moleskine journal on my flight home from Chicago.

How could this be a highlight?  Well, I'm forcing myself to see it that way while the lost and recovery do their best {hopefully}to find it.  And because now I'm trying to read back through it in my mind to recall everything I wrote in it and I'm remembering again how great this year has been so far. 

 Another beautiful ride up City Creek Canyon Monday evening with David {that handsome man} and hearing about the various characters he's been working with lately.  Real life is so much better than fiction.

Spending time in the temple this week 

Learning how to tie a tie.  I've wanted to acquire this skill for quite some time.

Walking around barefoot in the Awesome's yard last night while the sprinklers made that wonderful summer sound and the sun slanted in just that way that seemed to make all the memories I have in that great big yard come to life.

Summer solstice is here.  Let summer truly begin, as if it hasn't already.