Mending Quarrels & Forgotten Friends

I was in college during the short nine months that Howard W. Hunter was president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have two memories of him speaking. First, I remember his words that we - the members of this Church - should be a “gentle people.” I wrote it down. I committed to be a gentler person. I am still trying. And failing. And trying. 

The second thing I remember was when he spoke at the First Presidency Christmas Devotional on December 4, 1994. It was President Hunter’s last public address. He said: 

This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Isn’t that a great list? I love that list. I read it every December and try to focus on it as part of the season. Because once I hit January, and I’m forced to go a month without sugar, all bets are off, people. 

Nowhere To Go From Here

Here's the thing, there is this lady at my work who eats for lunch, like, a blue berry and a dash of oats, every day, all day long she is digesting grain and veggies and fruit.  So here's the rub, she comes to work after New Years and we start talking about our resolutions and she goes in to this whole monologe about how she is going to be...kind.  Her 2013 is going to be focused on being a good person, she looks in on the elderly woman next door already, but now she wants to do more.  She wants to be open to new ideas and new people and let this year be the one where she connects with people, and I thought, "Oh, it's cause you have nowhere else to go."  I mean, her trouble is, she eats too well.  That's what New Years is for, we all commit for another year to eat better, but when a person genuinely eats well already, the only next step is to better themselves for reals...no thanks.

I promise this year to eat nothing but the bottom of the pyramid and never eat anything that tastes good and always leave the table hungry and get so super skinny that people ask me if I'm feeling well.

Pheew.

Ditto for next year.

Sure beats making a commitment to being genuine, friendly, interested, thoughtful and of good report...it's like, if you can't do it, why make the goal. Pull yourself together.