The Simplicity of Love

“Who ever lov’d, that lov’d not at first sight?”

Is how Marlowe would have phrased it,

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Are Shakespeare’s words befitted.

But why would I,

Yours truly, Love,

Decide to question beauty.

I made a stake

Beside your heart,

To love you is my duty

But pass away as all must do,

Lovers educe their inner dove.

I never questioned, never doubted,

Our trial sweet called love.

But fancy sweet the stanzas and rhymes,

I could smother with words all day,

But over wearing fancy clothes

Will result only in a fray.

I could never match the beauty,

I could never match the love,

Of those poets who wrote long ago,

And inspire me from above.

But one thing that I think I know,

And something you should too,

Are the simple things or words in life,
The most important: “I Love You.”

Acting Up

6:30 am - Wake up, read a random Wikipedia article and a few chapters of scripture
7:30 am - Eat breakfast (usually a bowl of cereal, subject to change), read paper, catch up on social media, listen to birds, shower and prep for the day, pick out outfit.
8:30 am - Leave home drive to SCERA.
9:00 am - 6:30 pm - Rehearse a large assortment of choreography, blocking, oration, rhythm, phrasing, music, tempo, dynamics, spiritual thoughts, honesty, quotes, acceptance, timing, etiquette, and most importantly... life changing love.
7:00 - 10:00 pm - Shrek rehearsal
10:30 - 12:00 am - Cleaning, get ready for bed, prayer (that the next day might be just as fulfilling as wonderful as the day before it.)

So has been the blessing of being my past week.

This past week I was honored as a group of forty extremely talented, loving, selfless, beautiful high school students welcomed me into their family. I went with the orthodox paradigm that I might teach kids what they need to know in order to be successful at music and theater, and while I achieved enough of those very goals (in my mind), I was most definitely not the teacher. As William Arthur Ward once said, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” These souls have done just that, inspired me, and they are the greatest teachers I have ever had. Let me expound -

In the course of a week, I watched this group of people (for in my mind they are years and ages ahead in the growth of their soul and spirit then many adults that I know), endure conditions of which would normally tear friendships and life bonds apart and use it to their advantage; to learn and to grow and to become closer to one another and as an excuse for love. An old proverb dictates that familiarity breeds contempt, and with the greatest of tact and softest of hearts, I watched as all these boys and girls scoffed mordaciously at that very proverb and begin to beat it shitless within an inch of its life. Never have I been more proud to associate myself with such a phenomenal group of souls. I have learned to pray, and love, and be patient with myself more than I have ever known was possible in the past.

Never have I seen a more outstanding group of youth on the planet. They are so filled with fire and they're ready to do things that I never knew were possible. The spirit is so constantly, overflowingly, overpoweringly abundant, especially in the those beautiful young women! I found a new appreciation in praying every five minutes to have strength to say another prayer in another five minutes, I was not ashamed to talk of Christ, nor was I timid in singing about Christ, we spoke of and emoted what Christ makes us feel and does for us, and then we prayed some more, and then we eat lunch.

I couldn't help but hope and wonder if this is that what a mission felt like, the never ending spirit? Being with such wonderful spirits that you literally have no idea what to do with yourself? I have never been able to look at something or someone in my life and knowingly say, "THIS is an answered prayer, THESE are the people from the blessing I've received, THEY are the souls that my heart and spirit needed so deeply." They made me feel so blessed, and honored and privileged to be even alive in their midst.

They are brilliant.

I wish there were words in the human language to explain the way they act and the way they make me brim with the spirit. Nearly every morning before I went to rehearsal, I went to the Temple, and since the new video came out the Temple's been packed so I would read my scriptures on the front lawn, and to do nothing but worship and love and remember Christ? I think I'm starting to get it now. I think I'm getting why I'm here. The Lord needs his messages shared and there are only some messages which can be shared through music, and emotion, and the stage, and the honesty of a character reaching deep into someones heart and making them feel anew  what they've felt before and never known. I think... no I know that's my job, it's why I'm here. Not just to preach of Christ, but to be an example and through my actions SHOW others the way to Christ and His eternal plan of happiness. I haven't been able to stop talking about these kids to everyone I know since day one that I spent with them! It's remarkable, and I don't think I'll ever be able to stop till the day I die. I've forged some wonderful family and been so blessed in being accepted as an older brother to these wonderful, wonderful, beautiful kids. The moment you stop trying to go to sleep is when you actually slip silently into your dreams. The moment you cease expecting things from people and from the world is when you get it all. The moment you no longer give your heart freely is when it is most vulnerable and falls the deepest in love. When I was most vulnerable and least ready to be loved and in love again, each one of their hearts seemed to swoop in from all walks of space and time and simply came to lean on mine, and I am so grateful, and so blessed to have fallen in love with each and every one of them. And all of a sudden, my soul found theirs and said, "Oh, there you are!"

I love this work, and I love these people, I love loving and I'm loving love. There is nothing better to do with our time then to serve and love and selflessly give of others, I'll be honored to be a tenth of a person that any of these boys and girls are, for they have changed and affected my life in ways they will never know.

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." - Dr. Seuss

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”- A.A Milne

May God or whichever higher power grants you your life forever grant you with so many forever blessings that you have no room to receive them, that you are left with no other option but to pass them on in love and devotion and care. May the spirit of warmth and happiness accompany you in your lowest days and in your greatest victories and for your many long and prosperous days ahead of you. May you someday, fully understand how much I love each and every one of you. Till we meet once more in a most loving and heartfelt embrace, I give thanks. May God be with you, I love you Acting Up, Make me proud!