never ever alone

I love this picture. 

I love the yellow & purple shades / the backdrop of mountains / the clouds / the grasses that look tangibly soft. 

But I also like how I'm alone with it all. 

  I feel like if there was one picture that symbolically depicted my life right now, it would be this picture.

I love the fact that I'm on my own right now.

I get to experience the challenges and the joys of this journey, make the decisions, and grow through it all. 

It's this unique era when my family is hundreds of miles away, and I don't yet have one of my own. I'm just alone. 

But if you get past the fact that I'm the only person in the picture, you'll see that I'm surrounded; 

There is an expanse of beauty surrounding me, and it's invigorating.  

I like to think of my surroundings as all the little things that bless my life: 

the temple / talking with friends / music / fall leaves / studying the scriptures / fresh gala apples / clean laundry / finished essays / skype dates with my family / chilled Provo mornings / halloween costumes / ballet / letters to missionaries / sundays / warm scarves. 

These tender mercies are everywhere, reminding me how much I'm not alone.

HIS love for me is everywhere. 

This quote pretty much says it better than I ever could: 

"Heavenly Father loves you--each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there." 

By that definition, I am never ever alone. 

Also I started this new habit of posting quotes that I love on my board.

These are things that really really touched me; so much that I stopped and knew they were given directly to me. 

They teach me how to be better, little by little. 

My favorite of the week:

"So whatever challenges you wake up to each morning, remember, with the spiritual strength you develop, coupled with the Lord's help, at the end of the race you will be able to enjoy the confidence that the Apostle Paul expressed: 'For I am now ready...I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.'" {Elder Richard J. Maynes}

Remember. You're going to wake up. You're going to face whatever it is. And you're going to develop personal, spiritual, STRENGTH. Then, with your Heavenly Father, you'll enjoy that confidence that everyone innately desires. 

And you'll realize that you're never ever alone.