Perspective

Now that I am a parent, I see things from a whole new perspective. This evening I was watching a TV show about drug and alcohol addiction. It showed the family members of the addicts and they were all so sad and felt so helpless. All I kept thinking as I watched was, I can't even begin to imagine how I would feel if my child was going through something like that. One woman on the show was a heroin and meth addict and had sores and bruises all over her body from years of drug abuse. I eventually had to turn off the TV because it really started to upset me. (Odd since I typically love these shows, being the psychology buff that I am.) As I held Emmy on my lap, I traced my fingers gently across her cheek, down her arms, over her chunky thighs and dimpled knees, all the way to the rounded bottoms of her feet. So perfect. Hardly a blemish to be found. A beautiful little body from our Heavenly Father. I'm sure that the woman in the show looked much the same when she was a baby; However, a series of poor life decisions had left her scarred on the inside and out. I know Emmy will make mistakes. Making mistakes is a part of life and helps us to learn and grow, but I hope they will not be serious mistakes that will limit her future. I pray everyday that Ryan and I will be able to teach Emmy everything she needs to know in order to live a happy, healthy life. I hope we can instill in her a love for our Savior and a desire to make righteous choices. This is what will bring her the most joy in life and her happiness is what I want more than anything.