Sunday, August 2, 2009

Happy Anniversary to Us

Today is our 25th wedding anniversary! I used to think as a kid when I got married I would soon need to marry someone else because I would run out of things to talk about. When I think of that I laugh and I hear John laugh too. I told him that once and he replied, "You will never run out of things to talk about because your mind never shuts off. It is always thinking up way to have fun or remember things we have done that you want to talk about." I made up a game when the kids were young called the "I remember when game." We would go around in a circle and say, "I remember when..." They then preceded to tell us a memory that had. Everything from what happened last week to things I had forgotten about. Today my favorite I remember when is when John took me to the Salt Lake Temple to marry ME for not only time but for eternity also. What greater memory could I possibly have than to marry my bestest friend. I love you Johnny!

John left last night to go back to Kansas. As he was driving up Parleys Canyon and then into Echo Canyon he felt impresses to turn around and go to the Burn Unit. It is not a short drive back he thinks but he turns around anyway. When he arrives at the unit there is Nicole, eyes wide open, waiting for him. She even mouthed to the nurse she didn't want her pain meds yet because her she didn't want to miss her visit with her dad. I am so glad her heeded the prompting to go back. He talked to her like any dad would. He lovingly put aquaphor on her lips because they were so dry. What a great visit they had together. Just the two of them. At ten o'clock pm I went to the unit to spend my time with her. I chatted with her about my day and all I had done to get John ready to go to Kansas. I received the report of how she was doing and we spoke of those things too. She wants to know what is going on and how she is doing. She has already had her nightly meds and pain meds so she is tired. I can't bring myself to go home so I get a blanket and make myself comfortable in my chair.

As I leave the hospital this morning to go home for church I am in awe of this valley in which I grew up in. The first 24 years of my life I grew up at the foot of Mount Olympus. I walked out of my front door and saw the same thing each day. When you see the same things each day you kind of take them for granted. I always felt the majesty of Mount Olympus and the vastness of the valley but this morning I looked at it with new eyes. Driving away from the hospital (which is in the far north-eastern part of the valley) I drove along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains going South. The perspective of Mount Olympus from this angle is so different. It doesn't look all jagged and pointed. I can't see the canyon running down the right side of the peak. From here you can't hardly tell one peak from another. They are all running into each other.

I have driven this route many times but at this time in my life I have driven it 29 straight days. I am sure there are many people who drive this same route to work or to school each day. Yesterday I remembered driving along Wasatch Blvd before I-215 was built. We used to take the "short cut: off the Blvd down a very windy, narrow and steep road. Into Holladay and eventually home. I got to thinking how our lives are like a windy road, many twists, turns and steep areas. But that road too leads HOME. I am high enough still on the mountain to look out over the valley. As a child I remember driving along this range and looking out. There were not as many people here then as compared to now. You could visually see the towns in the valley because you could see the open land between them that distinguished them one from another. Today there is hardly a speck of land that is not built upon. From the north end of the valley to the point, from the Wasatch range to the Oquirrh's.

The valley is full yet there are so many beautiful sights. Besides the mountain grandeur there is the Great Salt Lake with the morning light glistening over the water. The 2nd saltiest body of water in the world.


There is also Bingham Canyon Copper Mine. When I was growing up it was called Kennecott Copper Mine. It is the largest copper mine in the world. You can even see it from space. it is 3/4 mile deep, 2.5 miles wide and covers 1900 acres. It is a beautiful sight on the Oquirrh Mountains.



As I continue my drive home I am overwhelmed by the abundance of beauty around me. not just the land beauty but also the beauty of persons around me. I love to look into the faces of those around me. I love to look into their eyes, which I think is the entrance to their soul. You can really SEE people when you look into their eyes. I love to see people give service to those around them from mowing lawns for others who can't or taking in a meal. Form picking up something that has fallen from anothers hand to holding the door while another walks through. Service is so easy when you see the beauty in it. Not only are you blessing the other person life but you are blessing your own.

3 comments:

GStaples said...

Beautifully written, I learn so much from you. Thank you.

Dianne Weeks said...

Thank you for "serving" and "blessing" my life with your strong faith and beautiful words, which inspire and lift us all. Much, much love to you and John and Christian! XOXOXOOX

Michelle Mitchell said...

Reading this brought back memories of growing up in the Salt Lake Valley. Of waking up each morning and looking out my window at Mount Olympus. Your faith in our savior is very inspirational! Thank you for sharing your faith with us. May God continue to bless you and your family.