final thoughts
So, I had a couple of last thoughts about Women's Conference before I go back to daily life!
- I used to have bitter feelings about WC. As a student, I worked at Campus Craft and Floral. Women would come in and buy cut and copy books, then go next door to copy them and come back to return them! They acted like the owned campus even though we were still there having classes and tests. I went to an afternoon of classes one year and witnessed women breaking every rule- eating in class, saving seats (for people who never came!), bringing in babies. I got nothing out of it and had no desire to go back!
- I want to say again that I am so grateful for President Clark's thought about the power of women! It set the tone for my day and made each experiece a sweet one. There will always be those who aren't really committed, who don't think the rules apply to them, who are looking for a social event. But, that isn't me! Most days, I am doing my part. And I talked with so many women who are doing good things for their families, their wards, their neighborhoods... and I was moved and motivated by them!
- If I had learned nothing else the whole day, what I learned preparing for the sharing station would have been enough to make it worth it! I thought I was a pretty grateful person, but I know I can do even better at LIVING in thanksgiving DAILY. Don't you love those words! Gratitude is a way of living and if we do it daily, we will be so much happier with what we have!
Choice blessings await those who live in thanksgiving daily. “He who receiveth all things with thankfulness,” the Lord has promised, “shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more” (D&C 78:19).
Don't wait to start. Open you eyes, open your hearts, and open your arms. I promise that as you do so, you will feel greater joy and happiness. Your life will have a new level of meaning. You will forge relationships that will transcend this life and endure through the eternities. -Joseph B. Wirthlin (Live in Thanksgiving Daily, Ensign, September 2001)
- I am so glad that Jill is my friend! She thinks she didn't do much, but the reality is I would NOT have done any of this if she had said no to helping me. And look what I got out of it! Thank you Jill- for all your help and for your ideas and for your example of living gratefully!
- Final thought- if you have the opportunity, go to Women's Conference!!
posted by jenn | 5/10/2006
6 Comments:
I love that you're posting regularly, and I've loved all your thoughts from Women's Conference.
I was definitely turned off by the hoardes of women, the pack mentality, the ugly side of women who save seats, don't let you pass through their line, and who are blind to the rest of the group. But I loved the sisterhood, the fact that thousands of women could make room in their lives for such an uplifting opportunity, and the fact that many of them came alone as well.
One other thing I thought was interesting was the fact that so many women were knitting while sitting in the classes. At first I thought it was kind of cool, and such a womanly thing to do (like our hands just have to be busy all the time). But as the day went on I became annoyed by it, because it seemed foolish not to be taking notes. I wonder how much information they were able to hold onto without writing any of it down. Maybe that works for them, so good on them just for going, but it made me so thankful for my trusty notebook and my one good habit of taking notes.
Your post makes so much sense to me. I had to go to M-W.com to look up the spelling of grateful (I've been spelling it wrong for years), anyway, I loved the definition: thankful, appreciative of benefits received, affording pleasure or contentment, pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated. If we truly lived our lives with this in mind imagine what our day would be like; no negativity, no self doubt or self loathing, and imagine what we could accomplish. How often do we hold back because we fear what others may think. Thanks again for making me think and concentrate on being grateful.
Jenn, I'm totally behind on my blog reading. Please don't think I'm ignoring you! I've actually been saving your blog for last because I know there is so much that I really want to be able to pay attention to.
I think one of the greatest blessings in our lives is the blessing of changing perspectives! I think that changing perspectives is a sign that we are learning and growing as human beings. Well, at least it should be a movement toward growth--more love, less harsh judgment, more focusing on the things that really matter. Thanks for your post! I can't wait to get reading the others!
I love this perspective. We can choose to focus on the ugly side of people and of life, or we can choose to focus on the beautiful things that people do and that we encounter. When we focus on the beautiful, we just see more and more beauty everywhere we look. It just seems foolish now to look for anything else.
Just think, if you got all this out of just one day at women's conference, imagine if you could attend the whole thing! I've had the opportunity of attending twice with my mother, grandmother, aunt and sister. It was a treasure.
I was waiting for you to make comments like this. I remember hearing your feelings before about WC and wondered if they had changed. I'm glad to know that they have. Maybe I'll try it again and love my experience like you loved yours.
I have loved hearing your thoughts about womans conference. It has definitely sparked my interest. I think now I may even make an effort to attend. Of course probably one of those things I won't get to until my kids are much much older.
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