“The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.” – Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
OK so I’m a little off. That made public education a little more colorful for me, but as I’ve grown to accept myself and everybody else, I’m finding that I get fewer and fewer blank stares, fewer rude hand-gestures thrown my way, fewer torch-wielding mobs demanding my immediate removal. Life is good nowadays, but it has been a long and lonely road. There was a time I found myself torn between the knowledge that I couldn’t be- didn’t want to be- anyone but myself and the feeling that being myself was unacceptable. After all, how could God not favor angel-faced, soft-spoken, goal-setting, casserole-making, jumper-clad optimists over little misfit me? And yet I’ve met and admired so many misfits in this world, and have come to understand what Elder Wirthlin is talking about. We are all misfits. And Heavenly Father is no respecter of persons. Our circumstances vary, our experiences, our brain chemistry, our tastes, temperaments, hair-styles, trials, cooking-skills, and other talents all render each of us essentially incomparable.
I believe we are here to learn to love God and we do that by serving each other. The very nature of service demands our differences. If we were all the same, none of us would have anything to offer. It is humbling to realize how much we need each other. I consider myself exceptionally blessed by the diverse variety of people I’ve been privileged to know. I’ve had the opportunity to glimpse talents far beyond my own. I’ve learned of self-sacrifice, endurance, long-suffering, hard work, and generosity. I’ve seen sweetness, integrity, humility, sincerity, good-humor, clarity, and genuine friendship. And I’m confident somewhere in that list of goodness there’s a little niche with a footnote especially for me.
Its inspiring to be surrounded by so many good people who do the best they can in the face of overwhelming odds; whether those overwhelming odds include being threatened with a gun, or getting a plastic cooler stuck under the car while driving along I-15, struggling to be a better parent, or coming to terms with the fact that you look very much like Rob Schneider. Hey, we all have our things.
Yes I did work Joseph B. Wirthlin and Rob Schneider into the same post. Don’t I win a hoagie or something?
It’s funny that the one talk that impressed me the most this past G.C. was Elder Wirthlin’s. I sure as heck-fire am not a piccolo player in God’s orchestra.
I learned a long time ago that I will NEVER fit the “Peter Priesthood” stereotype, but that that was fine. I’ve got my own colors and talents to offer the human family.
Enjoyed your profundities. I agree whole-heartedly, but who is the Rob Schneider comment in reference too? If it was your’s truly, you ain’t gettin’ no hoagie.
And was it you who got a cooler stuck under the car while driving along the I-15, or Angie on her way back from TAHOE?
Wayne, I think your avatar has a new name: “Peter Priesthood.” It’s a wierd phenomenon to be reading about general conference when there is a storm trooper taking a crap on the perifery of the heartfelt comments.
Oh, and Diana…
LOVED the post! LOVED the picture!
LOL!!! Shana!
I think in God’s orchestra, I’m that weird dissonance in a minor key.
… BTW, Shana, it’s “periphery”.
Whatever. I’m on Diana’s blog. SHE doesn’t care if I spell things inkorrectly.
Hey I don’t even KNOW if you spell things right. And that would be me that got the cooler stuck under my @%!!&%%!! car. I had to drag it for like fifteen minutes before I could safely pull off the road. How embarassing. I parked at Cabella’s and was assisted by a kindly leather-chapped couple.
I’m not “Miss Fit”…I’m Little Miss Chatterbox and you’re probably Little Miss Fun or Little Miss Stubborn, okay maybe not Stubborn, but Little Miss Busy for sure! (Remember those little books? I think I need to collect them all).
Loved the pic! And the post! I’ve been thinking home decorating with a friend – and it is so fun to see how vast and varied the pallet of colors and styles there are available! Thank heavens God chose to create such variety of people too! You are certainly one of my favorite varieties!
It’s because you are you, I let you be my friend. I needed variety and you my friend are just that. Love ya.
🙂
SO TRUE! I think you are the Lord’s “digery do” player! I know you’re my favorite…”digery do” player, I mean.
Funny, but this reminded me of an Apple Ad. And as a PC user who gives my hubby a hard time about his Mac, it’s hard to admit there might be something to it. But I guess even a Mac user has some advice that might be worth taking!LOL!
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.
Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?
While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
So are you calling me crazy?
digery-do Mom? Um…I was thinking more of the dude who plays the triangle.
You know what this song needs?
…More cowbell!
I’ve got a fever…
hey i need your email so i can invite you to my blog!!! I know your site will be yet another one of my fierce blog addictions! You’re frekgin’ awesome Di!