Intrigued, I opened the document just to see what people were writing, not really feeling like writing a deep philosophical paragraph about my life. But as I read the explanation it started me thinking, and when I start thinking it makes me feel like writing. (kind of like when you give a moose a muffin....(: ) So I thought I'd share the story and my answer:
I have a favor to ask all of you. I have the wonderful opportunity of being a hospice volunteer to a wonderful lady named Joan Glad. I visit her weekly and am so honored I can help her be happy and feel loved! Joan is a 92-year-old woman who is extremely intelligent, charitable, loving, and endearing. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology and practiced it for many years. She absolutely loved her profession! I have loved learning about her.
Recently Joan decided she wants to publish a book titled "What I've Learned." Throughout the past year she asked people to submit a response to what they have learned throughout their life. She has received about 50 responses and told me she originally hoped to get 100 responses. When she told me this I saw how important this was to her and offered to help her reach her goal. I realize this is quite a task, as I will be pretty much publishing this book for her, but right when I saw the joy in her eyes as I offered to help her publish this book and more importantly reach her goal it made it all worth it! She would love responses from all ages--so if you are young and feel like you don’t have any experience or haven’t learned a whole lot, I bet you have!
I will be extremely grateful if you all just take 2 minutes to write a response to this so we can all help this wonderful woman reach her goal. If you are willing, please respond as soon as you can! I will keep you all updated as to when the book is published (by January 2011) so you can look at it if you wish. You will be in a book! :)
My answer:
Looking at the entries of the other people here, no one has said listed a fact they’ve learned in a book or a piece of information pertaining solely to their area of study or expertise. All of the lessons have come from living. Our time on Earth is all about learning, and while learning from books greatly enhances the quality of life, the most important things are learned in the doing. You can read about dancing in a text book, but you won’t know how to dance until you get out on the dance floor. You can read about the love of God, but you won’t really know it until you go and serve someone. Everyone has different life experiences because they need to learn different things. However, we need to have the courage to go and do. Trusting that each lesson we learn and every opportunity we have is not random. All of us have a loving Father in Heaven who puts things into our lives so we can live and learn. For better or for worse, life is for living!
Kate Erekson, 21 years-old, BYU student
I feel like my answer is very reflective of my Peruvian experience. Looking back this could have very easily not happened. I just knew it was right so I trusted the Lord and went for it, but seriously- coming to Peru by myself for three months not speaking Spanish???? Super crazy! But I couldn't be more grateful that I did!
What have you learned in your life? It's kind of a broad question, but I'd love to hear your response if you're feeling philosophical and I'm sure my friend would appreciate more responses! :)
I love your answer! Very true. I wanted to write what I've learned but all I can think of are things that are in Elder Busche's BYU devotional talk. :)
ReplyDeleteBut other than that, I think I've learned that before we can reach our potential, we need to develop the ability to care. Caring about the world, and what's happening in it. Caring about learning. Loving the moment where you learn something new and can describe it as having "blown my mind." Caring about making a difference with our talents.
The only way to really get to know someone is by caring about them, the individual, and not thinking of things they say or do as they relate to you. Caring about emotions: what people say and what they mean.
I've learned that unless I care about someone, I'll never think of them as a child of God. But when I DO care about someone, their personality, their dreams and goals, their frustrations, I can see them through God's eyes.
That's all. :)
kate,
ReplyDeletei so love your answer. really...LOVE it. it is just what i needed to read today. thanks for sharing such an honest and real response.
i think you're pretty amazing. have a great week!