Have you ever noticed that in the midst of storms, it is our principles that get us home. We don’t drift home, and we certainly don’t fall up the mountains of life.  In fact, if we’re on the right track, our journey is usually up hill.  Sounds like we’re here to be stretched.  Oprah understood this principle when she optimistically wrote:  Everything that’s happening to us is happening for us.  And Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminded us that God doesn’t see us as mortal beings on a small planet who live for a brief season.  He sees us as His children.  Apparently, there’s an “extensive” training program that comes with that.  

Correct principles don’t guarantee a smooth, pain-free existence, but they will provide the means whereby we can manage the challenges more effectively. Without correct principles, it seems easier to make poor choices that inadvertently and unnecessarily complicate our lives.   

According to the Bible, obedience is the first law of Heaven.  In Deuteronomy 11:26 it makes things very clear:  Obey and you will be blessed.  Disobey and you will be cursed.  Now, the way I interpret this is that we see what we seek, either good or bad.  Then, since we become what we practice, we need to be willing to make a series of minor course corrections to stay on track.  And we need to be regularly asking ourselves, “What are we practicing what doesn’t work, and even more specifically, what is the purpose of what we’re practicing?”

Another way of looking at this is that life is a marathon, not a sprint.  We need to pace ourselves. It appears that knowledge and experience lead to wisdom an endurance, but sometimes it seems like we’re slow learners. For us, the lessons will be repeated.  Eventually, we’ll catch on.  So be patient.  Practice to endure, and then to endure well.  The fact is, enduring well is like any other skill.  We learn from everything that occurs in life.  We know the end from where we are now and we can endure to the end. 

The fact is that we can tell if we’re enduring well because we won’t get as testy when we’re being tested.  Enduring well is not easy, and sometimes life appears to have an overabundance of ruts in the road.  But here’s the key – the ruts are the road.  

So, what are we to do?  Very simply, we are to do what we know, and we know a lot. We understand that we have a unique purpose in life.  As our insight expands, we will find it easier to decide on a course of action as we move confidently through life.  We need to believe in ourselves, keep life in balance, and grow beyond our past.  And that means that we need to live life enthusiastically and seek to make a difference in life; a contribution that is unique to our abilities and capacities.  As we seek to enjoy life and those around us, our happiness and piece of mind will grow.  As we recognize our blessings, opportunities will be discovered that will enable us to expand our confidence as we develop additional skills and abilities.        

And finally, Winnie the Pooh summed it all up very well:  Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved (End quote).  So, enjoy the journey.  After all, we’re part of something much greater than we are.

John Waterbury is a retired Clinical Mental Health Counselor who has lived in Utah since 1984 when he moved to Bountiful with his wife and four children. Since then, he has written a weekly column for several years for the Davis County Clipper titled “The Dear John Letters” which was also used throughout the intermountain West focusing on addiction and mental health problems. This new column will focus on mental health and life management issues.