After catching up on some of the latest news last night, I found myself grow increasingly worried over the circumstances of my country and the world. "Oh, what can I do to help? How can I make a difference?" I found myself asking, as tears welled up in my eyes and a prayer started in my heart.
I was then reminded of a moment I had a few weeks ago, as I stood in an empty parking lot, where my dad was helping me replace my car's battery. It had died and I found myself stranded in the middle of downtown Salt Lake City near midnight. My dad, being the selfless man he is, drove the 30 minutes to come and rescue me - and picked up a new battery along the way. As he was working, and I was doing my best to be a helpful assistant, I started playing with the flashlight in a moment that he wasn't using it. I aimed it at the side of my car and watched the light diffuse - yet increase in size - as I pulled it away from the surface of the car, then strengthen as I brought it closer - even though its surface area was smaller. As I watched the light change from large to small and soft to strong, I had a thought tell me to remember that moment, because it would be an answer I would soon need.
Well, that answer has come. As I prayed last night, after catching up on the state of this world, I remembered that flashlight, then stumbled upon a talk given by a leader in my church where I read this:
“Brothers and sisters, you and I need to be much better than we are now, in every aspect of our lives. The scriptures teach us that the world is now, and will be, in commotion and we can see it all around us. Wickedness and darkness will increase. It seems hard to imagine, but it will. Yet in that darkening world, there’ll be increased light, divine light. The Lord Jesus Christ has a great work for us to do with the rising generation. It’s a greater work than we’ve ever done before… The Lord is working in power to strengthen teaching and learning in his true and living church. He’s hastening His work.” -Elder Kim B. Clark
Those words brought it all together for me. As the world grows increasingly dark, we need to strengthen our own light by bringing the source of that light closer. Yes, the darkness will only deepen around us, but the light that is within us will be bright enough and strong enough to keep it out. Just like the flashlight, while it still casts light when farther away - the intensity of that light is not nearly as strong. In fact, near the edges it starts to fade and there becomes a point where the light and dark begin to mix until the light is all but gone. But when the light is pulled close to the subject or surface - its brilliance increases and strengthens, creating a stark contrast between the light and dark.
dress - h&m
shoes - c/o sven clogs
jewelry - color by amber
So what does this have to do with an outfit post? Absolutely nothing. But its something I felt compelled to share. So as you continue on your path, please remember to keep that light close by - whatever you believe the source of that light to be - as it will guide your way, and the ways of others, in an ever-darkening world.
