Thankful for the Ride!

This wonderful piece was written by my dear friend Carmen who is going through a divorce (not by her choice). I love her positive attitude and the way she faithfully handles adversity. She asked me to post this on my blog in the hopes that it would comfort those in similar situations.

 As a child, I always spent the months of summer at the beach with my family. I loved the summer. I loved being at the beach with my cousins and close friends. I loved everything about it.

It seems to me that there were hard times, like fights and not liking what was cooked for dinner and having to eat it anyway. Some adult wanting to teach you something, but as the time goes by, all I remember is how much fun and happiness there was. I find myself wanting to go back and have it all again. I loved my childhood summers at the beach on the coast of Brazil.

When I got home and it was time to go back to school and reality, I just wish my summers would never end and I could stay in that moment of happiness forever.

The trick was to cherish the good times and to be thankful to God that you had them, that you had the family there, and the sun, and the laughter and the love and that God made it all possible for you to have many memories for the hard months of winter ahead of you.

The winter in the south of Brazil is terrible, so you can only endure knowing that you have the memories of that wonderful summer at the beach and that at the end of winter there is another summer coming.

Well, I am so grateful to Heavenly Father that I had those wonderful summers to remember and that they gave me so much happy moments and love.

Today I think of a quote from President Hinckley:

"Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

As I think of this quote, I think of a part of my life that has to come to a end, like my summers. The trick is to be thankful to the Lord for letting you have the ride in the first place.

It was a wonderful ride and the memories are amazing and I have my 4 wonderful Children to as the best part of it.

God is always good to all of us, He always wants the best for us.

I cherish my memories of the ride, like the memories of my summers at the beach, a great blessing that make me part of who I am.

My ride was full of ups and downs and full of disappointment. Also full of laughter, of kisses and highs and “I love you” and tender care. Full of road trips and family prayer and family home evenings and Temple moments and friends that stay forever with me.

So today, it is a good time to say; “Thank you Heavenly Father for letting me have this amazing ride.”

I hope the winter is not too long and other summers will come.