"The Stories That Bind Us"

Taking on The World 

My Writing 150 professor at BYU is focusing much of our semester on family history and knowing our heritage. She had us read an article in the New York Times, entitled "The Stories That Bind Us." This article reports the importance of knowing family stories in children's' ability to deal with stress and challenges. The kids who knew a lot about their families felt they had a sense of control on their lives, had higher self-esteem, and felt they belonged to something larger than themselves… a FAMIY! As I first read this article, I began to wonder if I really knew my family's stories. At the moment, I could not think of anything. And let me tell you, I was extremely frustrated with myself. But, at the same time I kept thinking that I knew how to handle stress and other challenges at least somewhat well... I felt like I had pretty good control on my life... And I FOR SURE knew that I was a part of something bigger than just myself. Since I couldn't remember any family stories on the spot, I began to ponder what some of my biggest goals are for this life. The first thing I thought of was temple marriage. And immediately I recalled the story of my parents proposal. 

On that special day, my father had no ring and no intention of asking my mom to marry him, but as they sat in his car, viewing the Provo temple, their conversation turned spiritual. My father shared his excitement of having the potential to become a God and create worlds without end in the next life. In that very intimate moment, he said, "But I can't do it alone… Would you do it with me?" My mom's initial response was, "Can I have some time to think about it?" And of course my dad said yes since he shocked even himself at the question. According to my mom, having some time to think about it is a very short amount of time because not ten minutes later, as they were laughing (which was a common occurrence) about some lighthearted topic, my mom said, "You will probably make me laugh when we are kneeling at the alter in the temple." 

And there you have it… the most spontaneously spiritual engagement. The reason I tell you this story is because of the fact my parents lives were and are centered around the gospel. Even their engagement solely had to do with temple marriage and eternity and potential. Because of that story and the example my parents have shown me all of their lives, I will not settle for anything less than a temple marriage. Because of that story that I so dearly love and cherish, I want to have a relationship like theirs. A relationship that entails all aspects of the gospel, where testimony can be shared often… even in the proposal process. 

By knowing that story, I have developed a goal for my life. I know who I am and what I can become. And I know what  I must do to become that person. I have confidence in my goal for temple marriage and it helps me to prioritize my life. Because of it, I know that my family is forever and all living beings have the potential to become something greater than they could ever fully understand. My family legacy lives on and it binds us. As I begin my own journey "taking on the world," I carry with me stories and legacies of my family… I've truly got them to live it with me and I now understand that that is what will get me through this crazy ride we call life.