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TheDiscipleMD
A number of years ago I lost a brother-in-law to a tragic automobile accident. Life is a precious thing. Some are given a long time to abide in mortality and others barely step on the stage. Events, such as the loss of my brother-in-law, remind me of how precious each day should be to each of us.
This life presents to us a basket full of life experiences and it is up to us to gain wisdom from those experiences. Found in Luke, chapter 12, are the words of the Savior.
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, beat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (vs. 15-21)
“My beloved brothers and sisters, I am pleased with the opportunity to speak to you. I thank each of you for your prayers in my behalf. I am so very deeply grateful to you……….. I am now in my 97th year. The wind is blowing, and I feel like the last leaf on the tree. Actually my health is quite good, despite all the rumors to the contrary. Skillful doctors and nurses keep me on the right track. Some of you may go before I do.” ( Gordon B. Hinckley, April 2007, GC)
I remember hearing the congregation give a laugh over this opening statement of that conference by Gordon B. Hinckley. However, I was struck by the truthfulness of it. Life can be short, life can be long. Indeed, who would have thought that I would lose several family members, much younger than he, before he left this world in March of the next year. His words of, “Some of you may go before I do,” ring prophetic in our family history.
Let us look at each day as a gift from Heavenly Father and “count our many blessings, name them one by one.” I think we will find that each day can bring joy and happiness into our lives if we learn to appreciate all the small blessings that the Lord gives to us daily. Even our very breath!