Callings

This week I have been praying and thinking about what my calling is. I still don’t have a definite answer, but I do know that helping others through the same or similar trials that I have faced is definitely part of it. In the article ‘What Is Your Calling In Life?’ By Jeffery A. Thompson he reminds us that God has given each of us specific gifts and talents. He says, “It is our calling to discover those gifts and to seek out ways to use them in the service of our fellowmen.”

Later on in Mr. Thompson’s paper he states, “If you exercise faith in the Lord, follow His spirit, and seek to amplify your gifts, you will be led gradually to a place where you are well equipped to serve. I have seen it happen over and over. We usually can’t predict exactly where our gifts will lead us. But in retrospect, we will see the hand of the Lord leading us from door to door and opportunity to opportunity as we exercise and hone our spiritual gifts.” This is something I must remember and continue to remind myself, as this process has been so frustrating to me. Why I can’t just see the big picture and know exactly what I’m here to do is driving me crazy.  But, I need to learn to rely on the Lord and allow Him to open my doors one at a time.

Elder Robert D. Hales offered this advice about finding our gifts, “To find the gifts we have been given, we must pray and fast. . . . I urge you each to discover your gifts and to seek after those that will bring direction to your life’s work and that will further the work of heaven.” [Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, February 2002, 16]

That is excellent counsel and one that I will be doing this coming fast Sunday. 

I also watched the last lecture of Randy Pausch this week, and realized that he was able to achieve so many of his childhood dreams because he was first encourage as a child by his parents. They taught him that he could do anything he put his mind to. He also kept trying even after receiving multiple rejection letters. He knew what he had to offer and he persisted until he was heard and given the opportunity. Randy had big dreams and new what his calling was and he went after those dreams and made a difference.

I feel that dreaming is so important. Children are growing up in a world of things that are handed to them and are so easily accessible that they don’t need to dream or think.  Our children are losing the ability to imagine and pretend. When I was a child all I did was dream and pretend. I was a marine biologist who swam with killer whales. I made pizzas at a pizzeria. I was a teacher. I was a lawyer and fought for my clients rights, in front of Judge Harry Stone, of course. My bike was my car and I drove it everywhere. Now days if it’s not on TV, the internet, or their cell phone kids just don’t care. Where did the joy of exploring as a kid go?

One of my childhood dreams was to play Eponine in the musical Les Miserable. My parents had taken me to see the musical several times and I listened to the soundtrack almost daily for a long time. I was in love with the character of Eponine. Her struggle seemed real to me and I so badly wanted to portray her on the stage. While my dreams of playing her part on Broadway will never come true, I can still sing, I can still perform in other ways. I may not ever be in the actual musical, but I can still cultivate my singing talent and share my love of singing with others.

I had so many dreams as a child and they seemed to change on a weekly basis. I miss that part of life, when you could dream of being anything and everything. I love hearing my seven year old daughter say “let’s pretend”. Maybe there is hope for our children after all.