A To Z: P

PICTURES.

My favorite thing to do each semester is find an inspirational quote, get it printed on vinyl and then hang pictures of my fondest memories on the wall around it.

This year I made a picture frame out of the saying.

I think it's my favorite one yet.

Don't strain your eyes trying to read the saying in the picture. I'll type it out for you,

"I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.

I believe that happy girls are the prettiest.

I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

The saying is by Audrey Hepburn. I revised it a little but taking out a sentence or two that I didn't want since it was already so long. And I'm glad I did cause now it made the perfect frame for pictures of my life.

I really agree with everything that quote says.

The first sentence is the most troubling for me. I believe it's what I need to be, strong when everything else seems to be going wrong. I'm having a hard time conveying my thoughts on this matter. I think most of us feel like to cry or breakdown is a weakness. I know I do. But one of my old room mates always told me she was envious that I could do that because it showed that I was strong and not afraid to face my problems or emotions. I didn't try to hide them and act like they weren't there. She said she wished she could be that strong. Part of me understands that and part of me thinks she's wrong. Maybe it all hinges on how you handle it after. Usually after my breakdown I have a firm resolve to be more faithful and trust that the Lord knows what he's doing. So maybe it really does make you stronger when things are going wrong.

I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. One of my favorite feelings is laughing so hard my stomach hurts and I can't breathe. I love that feeling of pure happiness, where you don't remember anything that's going wrong in your life, the assignment you have due the next morning, or the stress from your job (or the fact you don't have one). All that matters is that moment and the people around who help you gain that feeling. I would take laughing over running 3 miles any day. Both might cause my stomach to hurt but only one provides sustaining happiness.

Happy girls are the prettiest. Without a doubt. We can extend this to men to and say that happy men are the most handsome.

Personally, when I'm happy I feel the most beautiful. Are we not attracted to people that are happy? Is that not why so many non members are attracted to the church? Because it's members have a beautiful glow about them. All of this is because the person is happy. They know about the plan of happiness, of eternal families, of the Atonement and much more. We cannot hide the light of Christ that radiates from us in the form of happy beautiful people.

I can't speak on behalf of the whole world but I think most of us don't often surround ourselves with depressed people because they don't make us feel our best. We tend to surround ourselves with people that smile and look happy because they make us feel happy, which I personally think makes everyone feel a little more attractive.

Lastly, I believe tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.

I believe we should live each day to the fullest and try to make it our best because we only get one chance to live today. The great thing is that is if we don't have a great day today, we get another chance tomorrow. Another chance to be kind, to be of service, to forgive someone or ask for forgiveness. There is always a tomorrow.

And everyday holds the chance for a miracle. I think most miracles come in the form of tender mercies. We probably don't even notice them but there are miracles in our lives all the time.

I love this quote. I love seeing it every morning when I wake up and being reminded of a few simple things I believe that can make all the difference in my life.