I'm a dreamer--Invitation to ALL

My heart has been permanently changed.  Losing a child has left me with some long-term sensitivities that will most likely never leave me.  (I can't say 100% for sure that they'll never leave, because although I love to share my--cough cough--abundance of wisdom, I don't pretend to be able to read the future, not even my own.)   I know that I do not understand what other people have experienced, that I can not ever fully comprehend their circumstances, and I know that I should not judge them, or assume that I know what they are going through.  I have ultimate respect for moments that are treasured and used wisely, and I am dreadfully disappointed by wasted time.  I believe time is wasted with any moment that we use to tear others down or create barriers, partly because I have had the privilege of spending time with a tiny human being who never uttered an unkind word or syllable during his life, and who never will.  I have been blessed by people who didn't judge me in my tough times, and I have been very hurt by people who have made unkind, rude comments or judgments that they had no business making.

These sensitivities have led me to discover a hope for a better world, as well as a disappointment with the one in which I now exist.  I want to see people build each other up, not tear each other down.  I love to see strangers give positive words to each other, and I want to see more people restrain themselves and refrain from insults and injury to other human beings.  I know and expect that everyone will not agree.  Diversity and differences are a beautiful part of the world we live in, and I fully respect everyone's right to disagree, but I want to be part of a world where we can actually agree to disagree, and do so agreeably.

When I shared these sentiments a few days ago on my Facebook page, a family member of mine told me that I am living in a dream world, and that he wished we all did.  For some reason, that comment has reverberated in thoughts from the first moment I read it.

The first thing it reminded me of is a favorite scripture of mine (from the Book of Mormon) Ether 12:4  Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

I have loved this scripture since I was a teenager.  I love that entire chapter, it is one of my top 5 favorites in all of the scriptures.  To paraphrase and make it personal: I believe in God, and that faith inspires me to hope for a better world, one where more people believe in Him and try to be like Him.  This desire for a better world helps me to do good, helps me to be sure and steadfast, and helps me to glorify God, and it's all true.  I am a dreamer, I am a hopeful person, I believe the world can and should be a much better place.

I could list an overwhelming amount of scriptures that talk about hope and faith, because they are two principles that are so relevant to life.  I hope for a better world.  I have faith in the resurrection, which gave me hope when my heart was so broken as we learned that our son was most likely not going to live, and my hope made that desperate situation much less miserable.  My hope is so robust that it might be called "lively hope" as Peter called it in 1 Peter 1:3.  And my hope HAS to be strong, or else the misery and disappointment would be the primary players on the stage of my heart.  I want other people to have a sense of love, faith, and hope that is able to help them to get through their hard times, like the hope in my heart helps me get through my own.

I'm a dreamer.  Another thought I had after reading the aforementioned comment was a poem from Shel Silverstein (I LOVE HIS SENSE OF HUMOR!!)

I am totally a dreamer.  I hope.  I pray.  I FEEL God's love when I pray, and I've been guided through tough times by His inspiration after prayers.  To some people, that might equate with buying magic beans, but for me, the hope I have gets me through every day.   (And it's OK with me if you don't agree with me about believing in God--we can still be friends.) I never want to be the person that damages another person's hope, their sense of humanity, their belief that they are a good, capable person.  I don't want to insult someone, and make them believe they are anything less than a special child of God.  So if you're a dreamer, this is an invitation for you.

It's not too late to resolve to "break" the status-quo.  Who cares if it's January 13th, and not January 1st?  I can decide to make a change ANY time.  I'm not going to try to weight lift this year, I'm going to "people lift".  I have begun building my "dream world", and I'm inviting anyone else around me to do the same.  Life is too short to waste on waiting for a special set date at which I will try to change the way I post and the way I comment, or to encourage others to focus on positivity.  Nobody knows how much time they really have (we were given only a few days with our son--that's it).  So don't waste it.  It doesn't take a huge amount of preparation to have a special moment where you lift someone up.  I'm going to start lifting today.