This too shall pass. Such an oft-heard remark. I was just telling a friend, "Yes, it will pass, just in time for another thing to come to pass." Why are we so eager for hard times to pass? I know...it's not fun to have trials, it's not easy, challenges aren't what we necessarily seek for. I've been thinking a lot this week about how we have been placed on this earth for that very purpose: to have experiences that we may learn and grow to become like our Savior. If we didn't have opposition, we won't have the experiences we need in order to learn the things we need to learn to become who we need to become (did you follow that!?). :-)
A baby teething is one of those experiences. The last two days our baby has been fabulously happy! Smiley. Eating well. Content. The only reason I notice this with so much appreciation and elation is because the last two weeks have been awful with him. Demanding. Whiny. Fussy. Sleepless. The normal signs of teething. Instead of embracing the moment, I murmured. And murmured. And murmured. Then today it hit me.
The teething is going to happen. Babies get teeth. It's going to happen whether I am happy about it or not. The only thing I have control over in such a situation is my response to the inevitable learning experience.
Experiences in life are sometimes like teething. They hurt. They are inevitable. They are exhausting. Sometimes there is no immediate solution. Their time table is unknown (sometimes the hardest part of any trial). Also, they are for our benefit. Without teeth, babies would never become independent eaters. Without these seemingly impossible-to-bear experiences we would not become the beings we need to become.
I know there are people suffering from much more challenging experiences than a baby teething. The solution is still the same. Our response is what's important. What we're learning is vital. Who we are becoming is critical. When Nephi was beaten, mocked, and tied up by his brothers, what was his response? He never ceased from praising the Lord. During these experiences it is essential that we look up and ask ourselves & the Lord some important questions:
What am I to learn from this experience?
Who does the Lord need me to become?
How can I change my response from murmuring to gratitude?
Where will I be after this trial is over?
Life is good.
The Lord intends for us to have joy...not only in the end, but throughout the whole journey.
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I was thinking of it from your little man's point of view. He doesn't even understand WHY he's behaving that way, but I'm sure he appreciates feeling better just as much as you do.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about moving from one challenge to the next. Don't most of the verses in Nephi start with "And it came to pass...."???
I needed to read this this morning. I'm fighting a nasty cold and up in the middle of the night (3 nights in a row now) for hours with our 19-month-old, who is working on her eye-teeth. Apparently eye-teeth make it impossible to sleep in the early morning hours, even if she doesn't act like there's anything wrong once I rescue her from her bed. I guess I should just be relieved that she's not too fussy and whiny during the day too (we've had plenty of that, too, but not today). I hope yours gets them through quickly, and I hope I can improve my attitude!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate this post. I read it when you posted it back in feb, but have remembered it up to now, when I find myself in the middle of a very difficult teething experience with my 9month old. There are lessons to be learned in every experience, and the gospel can truly help us through any tough experience. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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