My Little Sea Turtle...

The past week Tyson was involved in swimming lessons. This was his 3rd year, and he proved to have more confidence in the water than the year before. He is fearless when it comes to water, which is a good and bad thing. He is quite short for his age, and was the shortest in his class. The teacher had a little dock that would be placed in the water for the kids to stand on because they couldn't touch the bottom of the pool. My little dare devil proceeded to walk off the dock and try to swim on his own without a life jacket. With his head barley above water and his cries for help I think he realized that sometimes it is best to obey the rules that have been set for us. Teacher Megan told the kids to stay on the dock when they didn't have a life jacket on, but my child always pushes the limit, and because he did he found out what the consequence of his actions would be.

Often times in life we tend to "push" the limits or boundaries that have been set. We speed in our car because we are running behind or we think the limit is too slow. As I reflect on my life I can recall many times when I pushed the rules, bent them to my own devices, or even broke them completely. And time and time again I paid for my mistakes. Growing up I was they type of teenager who had to "learn for myself." I could be told a thousand times but until I found out for myself I wasn't a believer. Sometimes the actions that I took were harmless, and sometimes not. Now looking at my 2 beautiful, vibrant boys I wonder what decisions they will make in life. The world is a much more cruel, dangerous place for them than it was for me, and that wasn't very long ago. I am scared of who they might become, of the friends they might choose, and of the choices they might make. How can I protect them? Should I keep them looked up in the house under my watchful eye all the time. Surely this isn't very realistic. How can I be assured that they will follow the principles that Tyler and I have tried to teach them? I have come to the conclusion ,and a peaceful feeling that if Tyler and I apply the principles and teachings we were taught and with much prayer and trust in the Lord out children will make right choices and turn out to be good people, ones who love their family, have faith and trust in a greater power than themselves, who are good citizens, and who will make us proud of all the hard work of raising them.

Today in relief Society we were taught about the importance of keeping a journal. I have done this on and off throughout my adolescence and into adult hood. I am happy to have found a love for blogging. I type so much faster than I can write, and this encourages me to write more often and more when I do write. I have marveled at those who have so diligently kept a personal record of their life and the events that have taken place in their everyday ordinary life. I have loved reading over my grandparents journals, how I have learned from their struggles, and their accomplishments. I know that more times than not when I write it is just the everyday mundane goings on of my life. But every once in awhile something very special and life changing will happen. If I am in the habit of writing the everyday happenings I will be more than like to record those precious memories that I would never want to forget. For the lesson today I am thankful for the reminder of the importance of keeping a journal for my posterity.