Blessing #6

Beep, beep, beep, beep....Does this sound remind you of anything? If you're cringing because you can now hear the alarm clock in your head, find comfort in the fact that I usually have the same reaction. Last week, I was just plain annoyed as my alarm woke me up from a dream I didn't want to leave. Worst. Sound. Ever. Right?.....perhaps not.

I recently saw Inception for the third time. Yes, I'm a bit obsessed. This movie is so unique and the concepts presented...fascinating! I think the movie is intriguing to all audiences as the dream world is so familiar, and yet so enigmatic at the same time. In my opinion, it was even better the third time around as some thoughts I hadn't previously considered were impressed upon my mind. I think I was finally able to move past the sheer wonder of it all and instead take in a basic and meaningful message that the movie conveys. This message represents blessing number six.

So...if you haven't seen this movie yet, you may not want to read on. In fact, I would suggest you head to a redbox right now instead :) If you have seen the movie, you know that the main character, Cobb, has an internal struggle of sorts. His wife, Mal, who passed away, finds her way into every dream he is a part of and tries to convince him that the dream world is the real world. Because of this, Cobb, who is trying to make it back to their children, never seems to have a firm grasp on reality.

The heart of Cobb's struggle, choosing between reality and the dream world, made me think a lot about my own life. Have you ever imagined how happy you might be if things were different in your life? Have you ever thought back to a choice you've made and wondered if your current situation would have been better had you chosen another path? Have you thought back to the past and longed to have "the good old days" back? Have you ever wished for something so much that you just can't seem to let it go? In response to all of these questions, I have. It's obviously not always a bad thing to have these thoughts as you (in relation to the questions above) learn from mistakes, reminisce, and work to achieve goals; however, I think many of us spend too much time living in the "dream world" and not enough time finding happiness in and being content with our own realities.

In his most recent conference address, President Monson said, "We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings. Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, 'He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.'" I've always believed that one's attitude literally makes an experience good or bad. I think we, as human beings, literally have more control over our lives than we give ourselves credit for.

So why is it sometimes hard to keep that positive attitude and find the peace that comes when optimism is put into practice? I don't really know, but I am certainly, personally, going to work harder at it. I truly have so much to be thankful for and my reality is a good one. I love the final scene in Inception when Cobb makes it home and finally sees the faces of his children. We each have the same opportunity to experience such joy in our own lives as we choose to make the most of our realities.