What is this thing we call life?

What is this thing we call life?

Think about it.

When we're young, we think about, dream about, and can't wait until we're "grown-up" and we can be an adult. We eagerly wait until we go to school, make a change in the world, and see what the future holds.

As I've been out on my own for the past few years, I've realized that life is what we make of it. Life isn't just handed to us, and amazing things happen. We are all given life, and we all eventually die, and leave this place we call home.

What do you want your life to be made up of when you're gone? What do you want people to remember you by? What change do you want to make in the world?

Perhaps you want to be the person who finds a cure for cancer. Maybe you want to climb all the tallest mountains in every country. Suppose you want to start up a fund for many charities, donation centers, or help out the sick and needy wherever you go.

I admire all the people who have that as their righteous desire and goal. That takes a lot of hard work, effort, and motivation for the right reasons.

I've been trying to think about what my life was going to consist of. If one day, many, many years from now, someone was reading my eulogy, what would be in it? What would people be remembering me for?

Because now, and right now for most people around my age, we're on a threshold for the rest of our lives. Whatever decisions we make in these next moments, these next few years, is going to largely determine which way our life is going to be pointed. It's a little intimidating (to say the least), but I also think it's really exciting.

What is my life going to be made of? What is your life going to consist of?

I came to realize what I wanted to be remembered for, and what would have the most meaning to me, as well as my Heavenly Father when I return to Him one day.

I want to be remembered for being kind and gentle to everyone around me.
I want to be remembered for being a strong member in my church, and that I would do anything and give anything in order to make it back to my Heavenly Father one day.
I want to be remembered for the type of family I have one day. For the kids I have, for how I teach them, and for the type of husband I marry.
I want to be remembered as a good example of how living the gospel can really make you completely happy, and that when you have the light of Christ within you, you can overcome anything.

I could go on, but I feel like everyone's list is personal to them. These are just a few things that I've thought of about how I want my life to be lived and fulfilled. Everyone will have a different list. I just hope we all are active participants in our lives, not just sitting on the fence and watching our life continue as years tick by.

I know that Heavenly Father knows us, individually, and that He made our lives. He made us. He made opportunities for us that could otherwise be unobtainable if created by man alone. I know He wants us to do great things with our lives. God created them, and I want to show Him I loved my life, I loved the chances I had to grow into a better person, to have learning opportunities, and for blessing me with such great family and close friends.

God will not leave you alone, and He eagerly waits to see you again. How happy we will be when we get to see His smiling face and show Him what we did to help others around us, what we worked on and learned in this mortal life, and how we made the best of the life He gave us.

That's what really matters.

Life is a beautiful thing, and I'm so glad we can be such an example for good throughout it.

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.