Tonight we (the parents of DIAS school) were treated to a writing workshop given by Richard Tulloch. He is an Australian author and screenwriter and is famous for a children’s television show “Bananas in Pyjamas” that was popular in Australia.
I felt incredibly thankful to the school for bringing him in. He spent all week with our children in groups and also one on one to encourage and help them in their writing process. When I met him tonight he said, “Now, which child is yours?”.
I replied, “Lauren, Emily and Zachary Carroll.”
“Oh, little Emily did a play with us today. She did a wonderful job!”
Wow. Just, wow.
I am not sure these kids understand how blessed they are to have someone like him come in and spend a whole week at their school (of 50 students) to teach. Now when they read his books they can remember him and the things he taught them. I hope it sticks!
He had us do our own writing exercises and really sparked something in me that I felt strongly that I needed to write down.
The exercise itself was simple. We picked a place we knew well, a very specific place. We had to describe the place, sights, sounds, smells, etc. Yada yada yada, that wasn’t what struck me. I picked the Chemo room at Allison Cancer Center. As I was going back there I realized many of the memories I have are not horrific. On the contrary, they are wonderful.
As I was contemplating my time going through surgery and chemo I realized I was much happier then than I am right now. How on earth could that be? I am enjoying good health and doing all the things that Jason and I have dreamed of doing since we got married. I realized that when I was going through chemo I was close to the Spirit, close to my family and close to my friends. I am not saying that I am not close to the Spirt now but I’m not nearly as close as I was when I was going through the biggest trial of my life. I think of our missionaries, preaching the gospel every day then coming home and having to adjust to “normal” life. That is how I feel now. I haven’t adjusted to normal life.
I realized that being in a position that I needed help, being served by all the wonderful people in Midland (my heart will always belong there) and getting to know the beautiful, amazing, strong and compassionate individuals suffering in far worse ways than I was at the cancer center was one of the the biggest blessings of my lifetime. Heavenly Father can make any trial a wonderful experience.
Having said that, I hope I never have to experience that again. I am so thankful that my life is richly blessed as it is now and hope that I have the strength to be diligent in the things I SHOULD be doing so I can enjoy these blessings without being “compelled to be humble.”!
There are few things that bring us true happiness. I have found that lots of things bring me temporary happiness but they tarnish and fade. It is my Savior, my family and the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost that has brought me the most joy. Having gone through a time when I felt stripped of everything, possibly even my life, I still felt intense joy.
How wonderful life is!
3 comments:
That was very touching, thank you for sharing. Isn't it ironic that during our hardest times, we can still be happy~ if not happier than ever before? It must be because we have to find peace with whatever situation we may be in, and we know (hopefully) where to find it.
Stephanie,
Thanks for sharing that! It was definitely touching and good food for thought. Keep writing. You really have a way with making your experiences come to life. They make me smile and think and laugh and be grateful.
Love to you and your family,
Julie
So true. I was talking about this with my kids in church today. We do rely on him more and come closer to him in those times.
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