Analysis of Awesome

Something I've said quite often in the past is that something is awesome. It can be in a variety of contexts, used to describe a person, an object, or an event. For me, it has some special meaning that takes it beyond the simple "throwaway" compliment it can become in some vocabularies. There was one point in my life that I really remember defining in my mind what it has come to mean to me.

The chore we were discussing was the dishes

One afternoon, my younger sister and I were talking. We have two more younger siblings, and since she was older and more responsible than they she was asked to do yet another chore (or so it felt to her). As we are all want to do at times, she complained a little at this extra duty and I happened to overhear her. I remembered times in my childhood that I was in the very same situation, given more chores because I was able, willing, and responsible enough to do them. I then said something like this: "[Sister,] you are awesome. Now I know that that word comes off as a kind of meaningless word, but I really mean it. You are doing the work that another is not. You are doing the hard thing. You are not shirking, and so you have been asked to do more. This extra work is not something demeaning, it is not an insult. It one of the truest compliments you can receive. You are being told that you are awesome every time you are asked to do more. So stand up tall, square your shoulders, and think not of the drudgery that is before you. Think of the awesome that is in you."

Awesome doesn't just mean "cool" or "neat." Awesome is the description of inspiring awe, being a better you, and surpassing the normal standards of the world around us. It should be our ultimate goal. In the end, this is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is about. Not restricting us, not punishing us for our misdeeds, and not whitewashing all of us to be the same shade. The gospel is about making us awesome with the help of Christ. We are given commandments to let us know what to avoid and what will help us. We can learn about why there are consequences for our actions, using the momentary pain of a mistake and acting to be better because of it. I testify of the power of change, of the love our Savior has for each of us, and how that means that we can be awesome. Be motivated, think of the potential that is in you, and don't back down!

Birthdays

The celebration of the day one is born is a big deal to some people in some cultures. I know that my family has used it as a time to celebrate the person, celebrate the good they have done in our lives and let them know how much we love them. I've always thought this was just the way things went; for my siblings birthdays I would compliment them, give gifts to them, do some of their chores, etc. On my birthday, I'd enjoy the displays of love that I'd receive. I think this is a rather standard view on birthdays, a day of self indulgence and joy.

A birthday cake, the universal symbol of growing older and having fun

One December birthday, while celebrating my father's birthday, my dad did something that changed how I think about birthdays. It was my dad's day; we kids were trying to be nice to each other, by good to our mother, and making my dad's day worthy of being called as such. Then, at the birthday party where everybody was gathered (including my grandma, his mom), my dad produced a bouquet of flowers to give to my grandma. He then proceeded to thank her for all the things she had done in his life, not the least of which was giving him life. After all, we didn't do all that much on our first birthday; it was almost all our mother's work.

This act of humility, of taking something I had been taking for granted and looking at the source of the blessing, will forever make me think of the things my mom has done for me. My birthday, while certainly a fun time to hear well wishes, is a time to thank those around me, to thank my mom, but to also thank my God. I am thankful for my life, both its basic existence and also for the bountiful blessings I've experienced. I am grateful for the many reminders I have of my own inadequacies, and the chance I have, through Christ and His Atonement, to perfect myself and become a better person. My birthday was yesterday, but every day I have the chance to be thankful, be humble, and be faithful. I hope you use your time to look for the good things, and then your life will be filled with them.

What I Am Thankful For: Fun Activities

Every family has different things that they love to do with each other. I've heard of massive football games that come from family reunions around the holidays, and I've heard of board games, puzzle adventures, book reading, and many others. I may have mentioned my parents' love of certain geeky subjects, and that has affected what we do as well. My personal love of computers comes largely from my dad, and how he'd share his time with us in the form of either playing with us or letting us watch him as he played the games. We'd also play video games with each other; we hardly had a video-game in the house that we couldn't split screen with each other. Sometimes we'd get into conflicts over the games, but because that was against the goal of having games we would then lose gaming privileges and do something else instead.

Some people that put their picture on a Wiki site,
enjoying some good split screen fun.

A piece of modern revelation that we have received is the Family Proclamation. One of my dad's favorite line involves the fact that "wholesome recreational activities" are important for family unity. However, he points out that "work" comes before fun. It is good to have fun, to enjoy the time we have with our family, as long as we remember to not focus on the fun more than the work. I'm grateful for parents that love me, and for their example of work and fun that they have been to me.

What I Am Thankful For: Food

I remember having many family activities around the time of Thanksgiving where the goal was to get the kids to be grateful for something. We'd say many things, such as a home, family, the restored church, prophets, and other absolutely important things that affected our lives so deeply and for so much good. Eventually it would be my turn to say something I'm grateful for, and all the important things were taken so I would say I was grateful for something not too important at all, and, I'll admit, is rather silly to be thankful for. That something would always be celery.

This simple, sometimes disliked, sometimes bitter vegetable was my goofy addition to the pile of thanks. It reminded me of the simple things I'm thankful for, such as Old Bay spice (which includes celery seed), health (as celery is supposed to be a great diet), good tasting food (which celery sometimes falls under, and other times reminds me of how good other things are) and the simple beauty of green scenery. It also brought up comments directed at my love of eating that came from being a teenager, and a hungry one at that. And so, while I am thankful for important things and celery, I am also thankful for food and the great chance Thanksgiving is to enjoy good food with good people.