Learning to Cope

When I published my last post, I had decided that I would eventually talk more about what happened with Ryan and his passing. However, I have now decided that I am not going to do that on a public blog. It is not that I can't or don't want to, I have just decided that I am not comfortable with doing that here. So, I know it is a sensitive topic, and I know that I will probably cry, but if any of you want to learn more or hear more, please do not hesitate to ask me in person or in email. I just don't want rumors spread around or unasked questions, so please ask if you need to.

We are all on the "coping" stage...all of us...Dale, RJ, and myself. Anyone that ever experiences any type of loss has to learn to cope in their own way with that loss. In our own family unit, we each are learning to cope in our own individual ways BUT we (mainly Dale and I...RJ still doesn't understand much) always TALK and communicate to each other what we are thinking and feeling. For me, prayer, faith, scriptures, talks from Church leaders, music, and inspiring books have been helping. I am not saying any of us are "there" (wherever "there" is) yet, and our lives are not going to be "normal" again, and we all still cry at random times. However, we are learning to cope and discover a "new normal."

I am going to share 2 or three quotes that have helped me and brought meaning to my life and circumstance.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale: "People gain great victory over sorrow by means of their faith."
Elder Melvin J. Ballard: "We cannot always understand the plans of the Almighty, but I feel sure that He does all things well and sometimes the thing that seems almost like a disaster is a blessing in disguise. The only thing that matters is that we keep the right attitude. It is only when we become bitter that we let it change our whole lives, but when we keep our courage and keep our eyes upon the mark and still go toward our destiny, that is what matters. All these trials become purifying influences in our lives and leave us purer gold by and by."
Joseph Smith: "I have meditated upon the subject, and asked the question, why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us, especially those that seem to be the most intelligent and interesting. The strongest reasons that present themselves to my mind are these...The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again...The only difference between the old and the young dying is, one lives longer in heaven and eternal light and glory than the other, and is freed a little sooner from this miserable, wicked world. Not withstanding all this glory, we for a moment lose sight of it, and mourn the loss, but we do not mourn as those without hope."

So, I have faith and I have hope in my Heavenly Father and in His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ and in Their wonderful Eternal plan. I guarantee that I do not understand everything that has happened in my life or why it has. But I know that They know why and I know that They love me. I know that everything that has happened is a part of that Eternal plan. These things may not be much, but knowing these things have helped and will continue to help me.

PS...If any of you may ever be offended or don't want to read what my opinions and beliefs are, then stop reading. I will not be offended.