Literally speaking...

My children will tell you that I am a very literal person. I think they would say I drove them nuts (not literally, of course) because I took things perhaps too literally at times. But what can I do? There are some things we can change about ourselves; we can lose weight if we have to and put our minds to it, we can learn new languages, we can be forgiving instead of holding grudges, we can decide not to gossip anymore, etc. But my literal mind is what it is. It has made for some funny scenarios from time-to-time, such as the time I told Cindy about something I heard on the radio. This particular station was having a contest, and the winner got to go see some bare-naked ladies! I couldn't believe it! When I told Cindy she had a good laugh! She informed me there's a rock group called "Barenaked Ladies." Why anyone would choose that for a name is beyond comprehension to me, but nevertheless they did and I wonder how many other people get the same picture in their head as I do when I hear the name. Not a pretty thought....

I like the words of Matthew 12:36: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account therof in the day of judgment." Everyone may interpret that their own way. I learn from it that I need to be careful about everything I say and how I say it. I believe this, although I have not practiced that belief faithfully. I don't like gossip and at one time had a reputation as one who would always have something good to say about a person even if others were saying negative things about that same person. I admit to falling short of that reputation far too many times. While in a meeting last night I thought about the things someone had told me about a particular lady who was in attendance at that meeting. I tried hard not to remember those things, so I could develop my own opinion of this lady based on my own experiences with her. I like what I am learning so far, but the words of my friend kept jumping out to argue with the words I was putting together to form my new opinion of this lovely lady. I am setting a goal right now never to share negative information about a person with anyone else. I don't want to color another person's opinion about another human being.

Words really are important to me.

Back to my literal mind: So I was leaving the temple yesterday and saw a huge banner hanging from an apartment building up the hill. It announced "Weeks for sale!" Now if we think about what they were advertising it would make sense they were saying that one could purchase a week's rent at an apartment. But my literal mind wanted to think otherwise, and I began to consider what I would do with the extra allotment of time if I could buy a few weeks. Would I spend the time doing something I never find time to do in the limited twenty-four-hour days, seven-days-a-week that are our present allotment? Would I just try to complete things I've already started so I could get ahead of myself and then I could start a day on a zero balance instead of behind from the beginning? Would I forget myself completely and devote it to doing all the service to mankind I could without the daily duties of life getting in the way (laundry, grocery-shopping, banking, etc.) . Or would I sit on a beach all day, every day, reading, soaking in some sun, storing some positive energy so that when I had used up all my extra time (not free time, because remember I had to buy these weeks) I would feel more able to meet the demands of reality?

Now, just as I completed that last thought I remembered that I saw that sign "Weeks for sale" as I was leaving the temple. Therein is the answer for me. The Temple. There is where I get the extra time, the extra energy, the extra Light that I need. There is where I find solace and I do service where no phone calls, no laundry, no groceries get in my way. When I leave the temple I am more fit for life's challenges, and I really do feel that I am starting on a zero balance, no longer behind, because everything is in perspective again and things that might have been weighing on me no longer seem so important any more. I hope all of you are focused on getting to the temple!

Well, you probably didn't expect this discussion to have so many turns and finally end up here. I hope you enjoyed the ride.