Oh The Progress We've Made

As I write this I'm sitting in what may be my new favorite place on campus. I've had classes in the basement of the JFSB almost every semester I've lived here, but I've never ventured all the way upstairs. Today though, I decided to ascend the beautiful wood spiral staircase into the gallery, and was in awe.

The grey sky had enough light to fill the room and the two full wall paintings, one of the campus, and one of a temple, momentarily took my breath to me. They seemed to beckon to me as if to say-"Nicole, look at the beauty." And it hit me, as I wandered the gallery, taking in the quotes of how great a time it is in life when one can seek after the education of the world and the knowledge of the eternities full time, that I'm happy, that I'm finding beauty in life like never before.

A year ago happiness was not so easily found, but now, now I can find happiness in everything. I see beauty all around me, and occasionally within me. Such progress I've made in the last year. I'm more happy, I'm more hardworking, I'm more open-minded, I'm more peaceful, I'm more loving, I'm more content. I have more dreams, more righteous desires and more of a determination to work toward them. I'm better then who I was.

Better... I once thought that the me I was a few years ago was such a great person, so much more in shape, so much more outgoing, so much more who I wanted to be. In that time I've been through a lot, and somewhere in there I began to grow up. I'm realizing now that the things I want to be the most are the things I'm becoming, slowly but surely. So today I write to celebrate my progress, and the progress within us all. As time goes by change comes to us, and we decide whether to let it destroy us or shape us, and today I want to celebrate the shaping, the molding, the becoming.

All of this because when, with a smile, I stepped off of that staircase I let myself see beauty. And the ability to do that is a beautiful thing.

(I wish I had my camera to show you, but even the pictures won't do it justice. I believe beauty is all in the eyes of the beholder, and in the feeling one gets when they see it.)