Filthy Water

Yesterday I heard something that I thought I should share.

After my brother received his patriarchal blessing, the patriarch shared this scripture.  It is after Lehi's dream, where Nephi is explaining to Laman and Lemuel many of the symbols of the dream.

It's in 1Nephi 15: 26-27 and reads:

 26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the river of water which our father saw?

 27 And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.

This really bothered me because I realize I always see the filthy water.  I tend to worry about everything, and focus on all the possible bad outcomes that can happen.  

Every time something unexpected or unplanned happens I think, "just my luck. Everything aaaalways happens to me. I just  knew that was going to happen!"

I plan for the worst, with plans B, C, and D (just in case it gets thaaat bad.)

Like, if I never get married I will go to Poland and a adopt a child from an orphanage because I HAVE TO BE A MOM NO MATTER WHAT. 

Or if I don't get into law school I will get a masters in English.  

(If I don't get into a masters program, I will get another bachelors degree in a foreign country.)

etc. etc. 

But I also couldn't help but think about Italy.  

Oooooh Italy. I came back convinced that was the ugliest place on earth with the meanest people ever. 

Why can't I be the person that laughs when they get yelled at on a train?  Why do I have to remember that ugly old ladies face forever? 

Or why do I have to think about how dirty or gross Rome was.  Seriously, I did see beautiful and exquisite things, why don't the good memories overpower the bad ones????

What it comes down to though, is that perspective is a choice.  

Because I fell in love with Venezuela, and everyone knows that Venezuela is dirtier than Rome and us Venezuelans don't have the reputation of being kind. 

But I loved the weather, I loved the people, I LOVED the food, I loved the green forests and the foggy mountains...because I chose to love it.  

So jeezaloo, I choose to love every aspect of my life, including the homework, the chores, the acne, the bad hair days and the fattening ice cream/cheese cake/cookies/pies because life has been wonderful so far and I have very little to complain about. 

So in the spirit of changing my perspective of Italy...PICTURES!