Sunday, January 16, 2011

Opposites

When God created the earth, he separated the day from the night, the light from the darkness. What is that supposed to mean? How could he have separated them if they are the complete opposites of each other? Well, when you think of a desert, what do you usually think of? Dry, hot, barren, dusty, etc. But what happens to that point of view when there is a small stream running through that desert? Well, the extremely fertile, yet dry soil is provided with a source of water, and soon after water is introduced to this soil, life begins to flourish. How is it, that when dry and wet are put together, we get an oasis of life? Sure, the rain forests are full of life. But not like this. Enemies can come to this little spot of water, and become mutual friends. By searching for the same thing, and having found it, they have established a mutual need. And what about light and dark? Is darkness, as a student said, just an absence of light? Or do they, when put together, create something much more amazing and beautiful than ever imagined? Yes. With light, we receive the majority of what we need, such as water from storms, wind to move our ships, and plants to provide us food. In sunlight, we do most of our work, play, and basically use up all of our energy. Then what? If we have constant sunlight, the heat grows and grows until it is unbearable. And so, darkness is needed to create a state of equilibrium. It lets the earth cool, and allows us to sleep and restore the energy used during the day. Males and females. Oh how different they are. And yet they are extremely similar in many ways. And when you put these two together, you get life. Pain and suffering? Put them with joy and happiness and the good is made sweeter by experiencing the bad. A great loss gives way for great gain. Flying inevitably requires landing, working requires rest, and life requires death. So, is it also reversible? Does darkness require light? Does water require an absence thereof? Does pain require joy? Does landing require flying? Does rest require work? Yes. They still work. So why is it, that when something inexplicably good and beautiful comes into your life, that you must lose it? Why is it that when you lose something inexplicably good and beautiful, that you must slowly collect that good which is required? Why slowly? Why is it that it must come this way, when with the other things, the exchange of opposites was almost instantaneous? Who knows. And why is it, that in many cases, there is no good to counter the bad, or no bad to counter the good? How is it that this cycle of opposites can be broken in some places, flawed in others, and perfect in the rest? Why is it that people can give and expound wisdom to those in need and confusion, yet when they themselves are confused and in need, they cannot heed their own words? Who knows. Too many contradictions and hypocrites in the world for anything to make sense.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Confusion And Love

Confusion, in my opinion, is easily THE most devious way to deceive someone. What exactly is confusion? It's disorder. Upheaval. Tumult. Chaos. Pretty much anything that doesn't have very much order. Confusion is in a category of emotion all to itself. It's almost like a concoction of emotions badly blended together so there are chunks that are bigger than others. Sometimes we are confused and angry. Or confused and sad. Confusion opens the door for external, or internal, forces to collaborate against our better character and judgment. When I'm confused about someone's actions, usually someone I care about, I automatically assume the worst, thinking that whatever is making them sad, angry, or other such negative emotions, is in all actuality, MY fault. I always assume the worst in every situation and end up misinterpreting what is going on in their life. Confussion is very aptly named because, if many of you noticed, I spelled confusion wrong at the beginning of this sentence. Confused? Now you are, because for one thing, you don't exactly know WHY I spelled it wrong on purpose, nor do you know why I even brought that topic up. Then again, I'M not even sure why I brought that point up. That's confusing. Then again, so are a lot of things. Such as girls are confusing to guys and vice versa. Love is also a very confusing thing, because it involves many instinctual emotions and desires. When going through puberty, we don't know if what we're feeling is love or lust. Only when we've either lost the desire, or lust, for something do we realize that it actually was lust. Love, on the other hand, is much
longer and stronger than lust could ever be. You never know what you have until you don't have it anymore. That is why love is so confusing. It doesn't end. Love endures through trial and error, pain and suffering, disaster and catastrophe. Through and through love and hope endure. They never fail, nor do they die. The Adversary may attack us with the hordes of Hell, but as long as we have love, hope, trust, honesty, responsibility, honor, courage, and companionship, he will NEVER prevail against us. As long as we hold to our values and principles that have been set before us, confusion will not work against us. But, being human beings, we end up not trusting in these things occasionally. This is when our resolve is at its weakest, and it is also when we must be on our guard. But even with these fail-safes, we still make mistakes that may cause us great pains of guilt and sorrow. When in these pits of despair, we must remember love. It is through love that Jesus Christ suffered for us, not through his own motives and desires. Love supported him in Gethsemane, even when God was forced to retreat the Holy Ghost. Love is what binds us together. Without it, we are
nothing. But with it, we become more than we could ever dream of becoming. We strive to make ourselves better because of love and the desire of approval from those we love. Gordon B. Hinckley said. "Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is not only found at the end of the rainbow. Love is at the beginning also, and from it springs the beauty that arched across the sky on a stormy day. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with their family, friends, and neighbors! Love, like faith, is a gift of God. It is also the most enduring and most powerful virtue." But, love is not all about passion and romance. This is also by Gordon B. Hinckley. "True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well-being of one's companion." And so, I leave these things with you by saying that I love you all. And for those of the female status that may have some doubts about a guy in your life, I suggest going to the link I have posted and looking at the 11th quote from the top.
"Quotes by Gordon B. Hinckley"