Winning or losing?

After watching the super bowl (and its dumb commercials) last night, I’m thinking about how maddening sports are when it can come down to the last minute with a touchdown or kick that can determine who wins even after both teams have given it their all for the entire game. If they are tied then it goes into overtime because we MUST have a winner and a loser.

I like LIFE better where everyone can be a winner and mistakes can be repented of and the only penalty is our lost time in the detours/time outs our mistakes take us on. We don’t compete with others (although we all seem to naturally compare ourselves with others and their progress, achievements, etc.). We only compete with who we can become- our best self.

As Pres. Hinckley so wisely said…”give it your best” and “things will work out”. That’s the kind of superbowl philosophy I can handle. Each individual has their own talents, abilities, trials and obstacles in life to overcome and we are here to help each other become better- not to stop or tackle each other and try to prevent someone from achieving what they can. I love the idea, we can all be champions as we help each other become a winner. We only lose if we give up trying. On to the victory for everyone!!!

Farewell to a Prophet

Our dear Prophet Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley was buried last Saturday and at his funeral services the Tabernacle Choir sang a song he had written. Here are the lyrics which contain comforting words about death:

What is this thing that men call death
This quiet passing in the night?
Tis not the end, but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.

O God, touch thou my aching heart
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change
With recompense for vict'ry won
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.

Where is the time going?

Another new month, doesn’t it just amaze it how fast life is passing by whether or not you are accomplishing all you would like to. The important thing is to “enjoy the journey” as it is soon over and all you can take with you are the memories and what you learned from this experience called “life”. Rock art is a way for the Native Americans to leave wisdom and notes for future generations. Maybe we are trying to do that with electronic notes in the form of blogging on the Internet and writing in our journals?

We are back to our Rock Art class and the teachers passed out a handout on Native American beliefs. The Hopis believe in nine sacred hoops: four levels of existence before we are born, then life on earth followed by death and a spiritual world near or on earth or a beyond earth then a rebirth or resurrection and three levels of spiritual worlds, the highest the realm of the Gods or perfection. This is so similar in many ways to my Mormon religious beliefs of a pre-existent spirit world then birth, earth life then death, followed by a spirit world of two parts then judgment and three degrees of glory-telestial (glory of the stars), terrestial (glory of the moon) and celestial (glory of the sun). There are so many variations of that plan to be found in the religious and philosophies of the world. It's amazing how similar they are to each other yet different. Each culture has their own traditions and explanations.