Thankful for Second Chances

Hello November! There are a lot of spread thoughts about this month, or at least I know that I have them personally.  It may be said, or seen as the clock on the hall (how much longer until Christmas again? You have your reasons, I have mine.) (how much longer is the world, or at least what seems like it, going to be stuck in quarantine?), it may be seen as just another month, or it may be seen as a time to be especially grateful for some things (seeing Turkey Day and all). I for one, prefer the grateful way of looking at this 11th month of the year. I am thankful for second chances (or third, or the millionth, or what have you?). As I was reading my scriptures this morning, Mormon 8:1-22, I was struck soundly by some of the things that I read. I am looking particularly at the examples that Mormon and Moroni left for us this week in the Book of Mormon. They both had to deal with being alone in a wicked world. Even though things seemed hopeless, Moroni found a sound hope in his testimony of the Savior and also in his knowledge that "the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on" (Mormon 8: 22). These two examples are an inspiration to me, because now that we do have his words, and the Lord's mission is rolling forth, partially because Mormon and Moroni stayed true to their mission, plus duty, even when they were alone. That is why I am thankful for second chances, and I set goals like these ones (at least in part). 

1) Learn to make one thing you've never made before, and share it with the people you love. First, I would like to clarify the inserted picture. It is trauma when you bite into a chocolate chip cookie and it's oatmeal raisin, except if it happens to be one of my grandma Gardner's oatmeal raisin cookies (made with love). Seriously, they are the best! This goal is especially deep. I plan to make Swedish ginger snaps today, as part of what was intended to be a family home evening activity, and to honor the fact that my grandma Whittle is half-Swedish. I love finding out things about my heritage like this. I have even been told that I look Swedish before (just so there is no misunderstanding, this is not the first time that I have heard of this heritage, true blood (not vampire) fact). I have always enjoyed looking into my heritage and the stories that came before me. For that reason, the ginger snaps aren't going to be the only thing I make, and Swedish food isn't going to be the only country that I explore the culinary items of either. I am planning to make some Danish, Scottish, or even English dishes this month (in case you didn't know--my last name, Gardner, happens to be English). I think this goal honors how much I love cooking, and exploring the culinary arts even more (plus, you know, heritage). I want to know more than my father saying that his grandma Alda made the very best lemon meringue pie. I want to actually make the dish, or something similar to it. 

2) Correspond with pen pals. I have always enjoyed some types of writing. (Help me! I am weak.) I like to-no love to write stories, poetry, blog posts, and letters to certain people. Now I don't mean the modern-day, cheap, email-letters (though I loved receiving those from my older brothers while they were on their missions to Madagascar, Scotland/Ireland...apparently it takes a longer time for pencil and pad letters to make it oversea, or even to a different state (my dad served in Chicago, Illinois) (I don't judge. Honest.), I mean the pen, envelope, mailbox, literal delivery letters (although I admit that since I am left-handed, my handwriting isn't the easiest thing to read at times, it all had my arm swept across it). Pen pals are a huge suggestion of mine. I think that everyone could use a friend sometimes, especially at a time in which it might be hard to receive a friend, or harder than usual, and a pen pal is a good way to start. In fact, in a letter project that I participated in some time ago, I am still connected to them through the letters that we write each other. They are the reason that I create goals like these, because they are my pen pals. I don't claim everything, because initially, we all were strangers, but I'm just saying, a letter can be a good start to a beautiful friendship, or maybe...love, how would you like another letter from me?

3) Find and use healthy coping methods. In case you don't know me that well, anything involving books (like in the above picture), is a coping method that I commonly use all the time. I suggest this, or any personal coping method to all, especially now, seeing that it is Election Day when I am writing this. Take, for one, the previous examples which I used of Mormon and Moroni (if you haven't read the Book of Mormon, I very strongly suggest it). They were alone in their beliefs but held an unfailing, sustainable hope that their words might help those of future generations, and I know that they help me. Sometimes, I feel all alone in my opinions and viewpoints but am reminded that I am not, especially on days such as election day. Though there tends to be a ton of conflict, at least I know that is a fact with this election, there is always hope, and always more than one person like you, especially in the democracy of America. (Vote! You don't know what it could change.) Take me in my political opinion for one, I know that both of my next-door neighbors are voting for a different candidate than I, but that doesn't mean in any way that I am less neighborly towards them. If you happen to have a similar problem, I suggest these coping methods--exercise, humor, spirituality, or reading. We all live in the same troublesome world anyway. 

 

4) Volunteer at multiple organizations. It could be said that this coincides with the first of my goals, but it doesn't! I like the way that the scripture in Matthew 25: 40 puts it, in the Bible, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." I think it is fair to say that each of us lives in a time of change, great change, whether it be in reference to our current president, or the simple state of the world, I think that each of us has a hard time, at times. I want to help in any way that I can. It may not yet be morning, and we all said goodbye to that beautiful dusk ages ago, but there is always someone out there who has it worse than you. I say that in all humility. That is why I plan to spread my volunteer work over different organizations, whether it be the Loveland Public Library (the only warm place some people see, sadly), knitting winter clothes for little kids, or befriending someone new in my current ward that needs a friend, and I can tell. I hope I'm not saying too much to you all, when I say that we all can do something to serve someone, we need only look.

5) Learn how to use a camera. This one might be especially tricky...well, they all might be especially tricky, but this one certainly. Remember how I said that I was left-handed? I meant that I am a leftie in absolutely everything. My right arm, the right hand just hangs there, because it certainly wouldn't help if it ever tried to help, it would probably just ruin everything! Nevertheless, I am still setting this goal, because there just has to be hope for me yet. Whether it is either found in a special, make-shift camera or converting the photos that I take on my phone to photo paper, it just has to be possible. I know that I am not the first person with a problem like mine, nor the last. Weaknesses like this one from the car accident that I was in years ago are just a part of life (I used to be right-handed-can you believe it?). My grandpa Gardner has always been a big photo taker all my life, and I might be a little bit interested in the art of photography too, but I have to actually do it, the whole shebang to actually figure it out. I admit that I truthfully I have no idea how difficult and/or complex this is going to be for someone like me, but that is part of the fun! "Gulp."

6) Learn how to play seven songs on the piano-PRACTICE!-I mean sound waves! (To the Laman) I used to be awfully musical, at least before I was sitting at the point of impact in a car accident, all those years ago. I was at the top of my piano class (at least I like to imagine, I took solo lessons with a teacher, Judy Johnson, and my sister, Bree also taught me, now that I think of it), I sang really loud in my choir class, I even got the starring role in my fifth-grade musical/program, but everything can change in a second. Once I returned to school after returning from the hospital after my car accident I was a heck of a lot quieter (my therapist told me that the accident affected my lungs (talk about getting the wind knocked out of you) and by extension my voice box--they were all surprised that I could even follow a melody) (I went to voice lessons after the accident. Thank you, Jera!), never tried out for any solos, and I even laughed to mock myself once my mother asked me if I would like to return to piano lessons with Sister Johnson (she was a pianist in church, and her husband was one of my family's home teachers). Now, though I did that, nothing kept me away from the keyboard playing with the notes as I started to teach myself piano. Though I never claim to be a maestro on the ivories, I do now know completely how to read music and play it (or the one-handed melody), I just haven't done so in a while (haven't had Bree to tempt me with her piano-playing or Tara with her violin). I need to change that, so I set this goal.

What do you think of my November goals, that I definitely will need more than one shot at (hopefully, I will give myself that)? What are your goals? Everyone needs more than one shot at things like this, at least I believe.