I’m 22. I’ve been going to college for nine semesters now, and it’s taken until the very last month of my very last semester to finally begin growing up. For four years, I’ve sat at the feet of great people and fill journals as I soak in the things they teach me. But then I never do anything with those journals. I never share those insights with people because everyone around me hears the same things I do. And so after four years I finally get it. I’m not here to stay. I’m here to leave. Because in leaving, I can share those things with other people. My leaving can better someone else’s life. It will better my life.
A wise woman (who some of us know as “Sister Morgan”) let me in on a little secret: Life is about leaving. Imagine how comfortable and secure we felt in the presence of our Heavenly Father and Mother before our time here on earth. We must have sat at Their feet and soaked in all the things They taught us. We must have filled journals with Heavenly Father’s teachings. But He knew, like we couldn’t have understood, that unless we left His side, we couldn’t grow like we needed to. We had to leave so we could remind people of the things we kept in our journals there. We had to leave in order to return to Him.
And so we left, and we came to earth, where we were placed into families where once again we felt comfortable and secure. And we thought we had grown up, but we couldn’t really understand life until we left our earthly parents’ sides.
Now I live at BYU-Idaho, where I feel so comfortable and secure. I feel like I understand life. But I won’t understand until I leave. All along the purpose of my college experience here has lied just outside of the campus. The welcoming sign says, “Brigham Young University-Idaho: Come to learn. Go forth and serve.” In three weeks, I’ll be going forth. Life in Sin City will certainly be far different from life in this Rexburg paradise, but being away from here will prepare me to return to Heavenly Father. Being away helps me to prove to myself that I’m capable to return. So suddenly, leaving doesn’t sound so scary…
--Empo
3 comments:
OK, but I sure don't want to think about you "leaving." I know I said "Life is about leaving." But I forgot to add that you never really leave "heart" friends. Even if you never see them again in this short lifetime, you've made ties that last through eternity. We'll think of you and search after you because we love you. Then in the millennium, we'll race jack rabbits through tall grass down the sides of mountains--for no reason other than just because we CAN, and because we'll be so happy at seeing each other--Home again. Hope you leave us bits of wisdom before you go, instead of spending it all out there in the Las Vegas desert. Some of us can use all we can gather. Oh, and I probably forgot to tell you that during the next blizzard, we're coming down. Yep. Get the extra bedding ready. And store lots of food, 'cause ya know how Chandler is always always eating.
Very insightful, Empo. I had never thought of it that way. But you're right--leaving a place is a chance to apply knowledge elsewhere. Best of luck in Sin City. We will miss you!
Sis. Morgan,
Yesterday, during church, I started thinking about this "leaving" concept. The world "leave" is important only so that the word "return" can exist. So OF COURSE I'm not leaving forever! I'm only leaving so I can come back. Then again, why would I want to come back here where it's so cold, when all of you are already planning a road trip to see me? Imagine having seminar on the strip...
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