Perspective...

Sadly, it often takes a major crisis to put life into perspective. This past Friday, a dear neighbor and member of our ward unexpectedly passed away. She was a woman that was loved by everyone and truly showed a Christ-like compassion for all of us. I really looked up to her as an example of the kind of wife and mother I aspire to be. She knew who she was and why she was here and simply spread joy to all of us around her. I've never met someone so easy to talk to, so full of wisdom and love, and so happy with her life despite the physical trials she had to deal with. She had an unshakable testimony and she made me feel better and stronger every time I came in contact with her.

I'm certainly not the only person who felt this way about our neighbor. As we sat together the night of her passing and talked about how much we all loved her, no one could ever think of a time when she was not smiling. No one had ever had any kind of negative contact with her. She was a beautiful person who made all of us want to be better. She and her husband were a shining example of a happy marriage and gospel-centered lives. She loved the Lord and her family with her whole being.

Her sudden passing has made me reflect on what I'm doing with my life. Am I the kind of person that uplifts others? Do I make people feel better about themselves when they are around me? Do I look upon others with love? Do I make special effort for my friends and neighbors just to brighten their day and let them know that someone really cares about them? Do I have the kind of marriage that is unshakable and centered in the gospel?

Really, it all comes down to this: If I were gone tomorrow, how would I be remembered? What do I do in my day-to-day life to make others lives better? What am I doing to work toward becomming the kind of woman I want to be?

I hope our dear neighbor was aware of the impact she had on so many of us. I know that her life has inspired me to try a little harder and be a little better. Life is so fleeting, and there is so much I still want to do. I'm determined to not waste a moment of this precious time I have on earth with my dear family and friends. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for people like my neighbor that inspire me to be the woman I was sent here to become.