Caution: Fragile

Today marks several anniversaries. It’s Nate’s birthday today along with Haley Hoopes and Dane. The Feast of Saint Crispin is held today, as well. And, in 1415 Henry V led his troops to victory in Agincourt (later recreated by Shakespeare and incorporated into “Henry V”. It also marks the day that I found out one of my friends was in the hospital in critical condition and her sister had passed away from a fatal car crash. Kaylee Sandstrom and her sister Lindsay were driving northbound on I-15 last night when they collided with a semi truck. The semi basically drove over the right hand side of the car, killing Lindsay instantly and pinning Kaylee under the semi. Kaylee was lifelighted from the scene after being extricated from the wreck by a small army of emergency vehicles and firefighters. I haven’t heard any definitive updates, but from the comments on the KSL article (http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4616317) indicate she had a vehicle failure of some kind that pushed her into the semi and caused the accident. Enough of the details, this is where I want to bring up how important it is that we value every moment of life we are given. Do we actually realize the infinite potential of a moment? We are capable of changing the lives of others and our environment in infinite combinations and patterns. Presently I am choosing to write a blog post to describe my thoughts on the accident. Elsewhere, someone is probably making dinner. I know that Nate is right now tapping out some improvised piano based on a scale we were humming a minute ago. Really, the possibilities are endless, and that is truly what defines Man as God’s crowning creation. We have a lot in common with many of his other works, but Man is the one that embodies the capacity to change, to grow, to build, and to achieve. It is a terrible thing to consider what could have been, and that is what makes accidents and deaths a tragedy. Much of that tragedy is the “what has been” becoming injured, but the truly shattering part of sudden changes in the course of life are the “what could have been”. Now, nothing is going to change the past, and we can only hope and have faith in the future. But, is it not the wisest choice to take the precious moments we are granted in this life and maximize their potential? Many have said this since the beginning of time, the most commonly repeated being “Carpe Diem” or “Seize the day”. In light of these events, and that our days are numbered (D&C 122:9), I believe the only rational conclusion is to take our lives and elevate them. Estimate your potential, multiply by about some factor greater than one, and try to reach it. I bet that you will. In fact, I know that you will: that was the business model at the Space Center, giving those with a willing heart and hands the room for and the faith of success, and it worked.

For me personally, I believe I can be a better person, less judgmental, more loving, more applied and disciplined. There is room for refinement and the pursuit of the ideal in every life, and to not realize that which has been given unto you purposefully is a sin. It is akin to a farmer that decides to portion off his land and only grow crops on a corner of his prepared and ready fields, leaving the rest to soak up sun and rain with no purpose for existence. One even sees that weeds will sprout if the field is not tended, a result which no farmer could conceive being just or right. Such would be a sin for the farmer just as it was in Matthew when The Master spoke of the servants and the talents. Should we not follow His teachings?

I think that we all ought to consider how fragile life can be. In response to that consideration, ought we not be more loving, caring, and supportive of each other? Ought we do more to influence that which is around us for good? We don’t know when the end will be or how it will happen, but if we can make a difference, a change in the lives of others for good while we are here, then it is all worth it.