Always in the Middle

I have really left this blog on the back burner and forgotten about it.

Reading my last post about New Year's resolutions makes me think, resolutions don't have to only be made at the beginning of a new year do they? My resolution as of September 9th is to write at least one blog post a week. I will be accountable to all of you on this.

A few weeks ago, I had some time to read a message from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf titled Always in the Middle. It got me thinking; over my short life of twenty-four years, I have spent so much time worrying about the future. And as a result of that, I have also wasted a lot of time beating myself up over things that I did not do in the past.

He says, “By many world calendars, July marks the middle of the year. While the beginnings and endings of things are celebrated and remembered, the middle of things often goes unnoticed…But with the proper outlook, considering ourselves as in the middle of things can help us not only to understand life a little better but also to live it a little more meaningfully.”

I've struggled with feelings of inadequacies, been disappointed when I compare my life to others’ lives, and felt frustrated with thoughts of not knowing what to do with my life. But, what do I do about it? I spend so much time worrying about the future, I forget to live in the present and am not sure how to go about doing it.

When I read this message, I found my answer. Changing my perception to seeing myself in the middle of things provides me with hope. I think it truly can help me to understand my life a little better and also live it a bit more meaningfully. It can teach me to enjoy my blessings, what I have here and now, rather than letting myself be consumed about what the future holds.

By always living in the middle, I can focus on and do things I want to be doing. I have learned from past experiences, when I keep myself busy and push those worries about the future aside for a time, God has a funny way of providing me with opportunities. In just about every instance, those opportunities were better than what I worried about figuring out how to get. It is a lesson that I have learned and relearned, and now have been reminded of through reading President Uchtdorf’s message.

I have set a goal for myself to be more conscious of directing my energies on things that I can be doing in the moment and keep the “Always in the Middle” perspective on track. I will keep you all up to date on my "Always in the Middle" activities. As President Uchtdorf said, “Forever is composed of nows…Being always in the middle means that the game is never over, hope is never lost, defeat is never final. For no matter where we are or what our circumstances, an eternity of beginnings and an eternity of endings stretch out before us. We are always in the middle.”