I have noticed that frequently in the darkest times of my life, there is nobody around to be my friend. Sometimes, I make phone calls and seek help, and sometimes I don't call people because I know they have work early in the morning or other problems of their own. When, therefore, I know someone who's having a rough time like yesterday, I call them to make sure they're ok.
My faith sustains me largely from day to day. I hope for a better world, even if that world is one for which I have to wait until I am dead. In the depths of despair, however strong my faith may be, it sometimes helps to have someone there with skin on, someone you know hears what you say and sees the pain in your face and hears the fear in your voice because you can guage their reaction. Your faith is after all not knowledge; it is faith.
Maybe that's why people think I'm a great person. I am the type who can be sitting at his desk filing out a calendar or answering emails or rifling through the cabinets and think, "I should email so-and-so about such-and-such" and go do it. Within the past few weeks, several people have told me that I contacted them when they needed it most. I just responded immediately to something that seemed small and easy and didn't come at great personal cost.
Other courageous conversations have not been as easy. Last summer, I finally felt like it was time to set a close friend straight. For 21 years, nobody had told her what she really needed to know, including her own father who admitted as much to me, and so, as inexpertly as I am prone to do, I told her what I thought she ought to know and do. I haven't heard from her in almost 10 months now. I told her because I thought I would be a piss-poor friend if I didn't tell her what I honestly thought.
My rationale for this is simple. I believe that the Holy Ghost whispers to men and either testifies of truths as they hear them or reminds them of things they already know. Unless someone with skin on tells them something, how can he remind them of things they have not heard? Whether they realize I said it or not, what matters most is that when they are ready to hear it that they respond correctly. I decided 12 years ago to be that vessel. It's been lonely.
When I go to my place at night, there is nobody there with skin on. Fortunately, this is so because nobody has decided to surprise me, possessed of a key or not, upon my arrival. Frequently I while away the hours in books or recently on the piano I received as a gift. I appreciate that sometimes I get to be that person with skin on to other people who wonder if anyone else notices or cares.
God loves us and he watches over us, but it is often through another person that he meets our needs. --Spencer W Kimball
Choose to be the miracle. Choose to be God's hands.
My faith sustains me largely from day to day. I hope for a better world, even if that world is one for which I have to wait until I am dead. In the depths of despair, however strong my faith may be, it sometimes helps to have someone there with skin on, someone you know hears what you say and sees the pain in your face and hears the fear in your voice because you can guage their reaction. Your faith is after all not knowledge; it is faith.
Maybe that's why people think I'm a great person. I am the type who can be sitting at his desk filing out a calendar or answering emails or rifling through the cabinets and think, "I should email so-and-so about such-and-such" and go do it. Within the past few weeks, several people have told me that I contacted them when they needed it most. I just responded immediately to something that seemed small and easy and didn't come at great personal cost.
Other courageous conversations have not been as easy. Last summer, I finally felt like it was time to set a close friend straight. For 21 years, nobody had told her what she really needed to know, including her own father who admitted as much to me, and so, as inexpertly as I am prone to do, I told her what I thought she ought to know and do. I haven't heard from her in almost 10 months now. I told her because I thought I would be a piss-poor friend if I didn't tell her what I honestly thought.
My rationale for this is simple. I believe that the Holy Ghost whispers to men and either testifies of truths as they hear them or reminds them of things they already know. Unless someone with skin on tells them something, how can he remind them of things they have not heard? Whether they realize I said it or not, what matters most is that when they are ready to hear it that they respond correctly. I decided 12 years ago to be that vessel. It's been lonely.
When I go to my place at night, there is nobody there with skin on. Fortunately, this is so because nobody has decided to surprise me, possessed of a key or not, upon my arrival. Frequently I while away the hours in books or recently on the piano I received as a gift. I appreciate that sometimes I get to be that person with skin on to other people who wonder if anyone else notices or cares.
God loves us and he watches over us, but it is often through another person that he meets our needs. --Spencer W Kimball
Choose to be the miracle. Choose to be God's hands.
1 comment:
I love the awareness I have of the accuracy of the Kimball quote -- because in life, much of the time, it's not about what someone is going to do for me. It's about what I need to do for them.
And I know that we do need 'someone with skin on' - - it makes a difference. Thanks for what you do to make a difference to so many.
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