I'm Moving

Lately I have found my residence in the "City of Pity".  Sometimes the trials of life beat me down to where I begin to see the greener pastures in other Neighborhoods but I know that to have a greener pasture I just need to live in the prosperous city of "Hope".

Recently while putting my roots down in the "City of Pity" I felt sorry for myself because I felt like a lot (not all) my suffering was because of choices of other.  Just seconds later after letting this thought trample across the planted daffodils in my mind,  I was quickly reminded that my Savior Jesus Christ suffered more than any for the choices of all.  That thought moved those heavy steps in my mind away from that pasture of despair that I was sowing and back to the field of trust and hope.

I have to work hard to stay away from the "City of Pity".  I do admit that I still visit there sometimes but the harvest of what is reaped from this place is always bitter.  After a recent return visit there, I found myself still planting seeds that would only result in poisonous crop. Here you water your seeds with tears of despair and fertilize with negative thoughts.  I actually think I participated in feeding on this destroying crop a little too long, but fortunately after some time, I was able to purge the hurtful food of despair as my thoughts were drawn in another direction.

The list is so long of the people that came to my mind that have suffered because of another.  There is Lehi who had to take his family and flee his home because of the sins of the people there.  Nephi suffered because of his brothers and the unrighteous of others.  Joseph, the son of Jacob suffered because of the jealousy of his brothers.  Even Adam and Eve suffered the loss of a child because of the choice of another child.  Daniel was thrown in the Lion's Den because others didn't want him to pray to his God.  Moroni, Alma, Amulek, the list goes on and on of the suffering of many great men and women.

Today, I hear of the loved one that was taken away because of the choice of another to drive while intoxicated. A friend is suffering because of her husband's choice to leave her for another women.  Another is hurting because the choices of the their child or children and that list goes on as well.

So we all suffer and hurt at sometime because of the choices of another but to pass blame and let this excuse produce further hurt is just planting weeds.  It does no one any good and I certainly have no room to cast stones as I am not without fault.

So today, I am going to move my things back to a more fruitful city, where the grass is truly greener.  The city of "Hope".  I will have to earn my way to live in this city as the seeds here are watered with tears of hope and sweat of hard work and fertilized with the Love of Christ.  Residence here takes more effort than the "City of Pity" but the rewards are so much grandeur. I hope that what I sow here will reap a harvest of good and plenty.