battlefield.

sometimes i feel like the entire world is out to get me.

ie:"wow. she just walked by without saying hello. therefore, everybody hates me."

i think we all feel like that at times.

but when i take the time to really notice those around me, something changes.

everyone is struggling. some people more than others- but everyone is struggling with something.

that girl has an awesome boyfriend. its not fair, her life is perfect.

but did you think- what if she had an abusive one in the past? 

that girl is beautiful. its not fair, her life is perfect.

what if a lustful man has taken advantage of that before and it is her deep, painful secret?

that girl is so smart. its not fair, her life is perfect.

what if she feels lonely because she doesn't have a social life since she spends all her time studying?

do you get the idea?

im sitting to the right of a girl in one class who just
broke off an engagement.

on my left, a girl is writing her missionary whose absence
has left a constant ache in her heart.

in front of me, there is a guy who just returned from a mission
in brazil. it kills him that he may never get to see those people again.

there is a girl walking behind  me on campus who is in

a lot of debt and can't find a job.

there was a girl who visited my ward who, after many years
of searching-finally fell in love and got engaged.
6 weeks before her wedding, her fiance was killed in a car accident. 

there is a lady in my ward whose lifelong dream was
to have lots of kid, but she is unable to bear children-
while everyone around her is able to.

a guy in the library broke his ankle and has to get around campus 

on crutches. it is exhausting and overwhelming.

a girl sitting next to me at the temple is just plain lonely.

when i look around and realize other peoples' problems,

mine don't seem that bad, after all.

i get rid of the 'poor me' attitude

and replace it with 'why would i worry about these petty problems when i can help someone else with theirs?'

im not good at always doing this, dont get the wrong idea.

but the days that i do are always the most beautiful ones

when my heart fills up with love for those around me.

try it sometime. i dare ya.

this life is a battlefield; but it is a lot more bearable when we all become each others' allies.