Life is Precious

So many things have happened in the past few weeks to remind me of how precious and fragile life truly is. My husband found out that a friend from high school committed suicide. When I saw the pictures, he looked like a normal, happy guy. His family was shocked and devastated. I found myself thinking about this person I didn’t know and contemplating on what would bring a person to such a point that they would want to end their life.

The same week I came across a story of a young mother and father who were both severely burned in a plane crash. They have 4 young children. What now? If they even survive, will their lives ever be the same?

Next, I read a story about a family expecting their second daughter. The wife contracted some random/rare virus. After an emergency c-section, she ended up having an arm and both legs amputated and losing her sight completely. These two stories about mothers especially hit home because I am mother of young children. What would I do in these situations? How would I handle these challenges?

As I pondered on these tragedies, I realize that you can’t live life wondering if something horrible might happen to you. Bad things happen to good people every day. But what you can do is live life more fully, appreciate each moment more, be more patient, forgiving, loving and strive to be a positive influence to those around you. What we can do is not take this life (or anyone else’s) for granted.

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, wrote, "All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44). We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth. The many beautiful plants, the many kinds of animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds that bring us rain and snow--all these testify to us that there is a God. Our own lives testify that there is a God. If we understand that, we can have the faith and perspective to embrace each day of our life in a new light, realizing that life is precious, truly a gift from God. 'Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God' (D&C 18:10).