Monday Motivation: Enjoy the Sunlight

Ah…It’s been awhile since I posted a Monday Motivation and I want to start making it a part of my week again.  Not just for my readers necessarily but for me.  I have a box of quotes that I have accumulated since I was a teenager and my baby got into it the other day and spread 3×5 cards all over my room.  As I was cleaning up, I took the time to read them and one in particular jumped out at me.  “Stop seeking out storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.” -Gordon B. Hinckley

The past 5 months have been filled with many ups and downs in my life.  This was a really hard summer.  As hot as it was here in the desert, it was really hard for me to see the sunlight. There have been times when I wondered if I would ever see it come out again.  There have been dark days filled with discouragement, anxiety, stress (lots of stress), and uncertainty.

But what I have found is that the sunlight is always there.   It never goes away.  It may be hidden behind the clouds but when we look for it, it is still there.

Sometimes the sunlight comes in the form of a big, slobbery baby kiss, or a child needing just one more hug and kiss before bed.  Sometimes it comes in the form of an unexpected hug and “I love you” from your oldest child, the one who doesn’t want to be seen with you outside your home.  Sometimes it comes in the form of a kind word from a stranger or an unexpected chat with an old friend.  It might be as simple as a smile and hello from a neighbor or an inspirational video that came to you when you needed it most and that you feel was made just for you.  Often for me the sunlight comes in the form of a long hug from my husband and the reassuring words that things always work out and the feeling I get that because of him our family will always be taken care of.

How many times in our life do we focus on what is going wrong or what we don’t particularly like.  It’s so easy to complain or to long for something different.  It is a lot easier to focus on the storms in our lives but we can’t forget those little moments that are sent to help us see the sunlight through the clouds.  Those moments help us know that we aren’t alone, that we are really blessed and that we are loved.  It is those moments we need to focus on and be grateful for. We need to stop and realize that life is what we make of it.  That the way we react to a situation and our attitude can make or break our entire day.  We need to “Stop seeking out storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.”