Gordon B. Hinckley: Picking Me Up Since 1996.

I don't know if this is a common occurrence for anyone else, but I find myself in these random moods of dark and dreary, hopeless despair anytime I contemplate the human race. That happen to you? I hope so.

I mean . . . not that I hope you suffer from devastating mood swings . . . but that I hope I'm not the only one that feels this way. And also because I hope you suffer from devastating mood – Nah, I'm only joking. Anyway!

The regression of mankind is a subject I try to avoid at all costs, because it really weighs on me for days - sometimes even weeks - at a time. I turn away from the news channels, I separate myself from conversations regarding current events, I even limit the amount of movies I watch that are anything less than cheerful. Sheltered? Fine. I'm happier that way. Because the human race disgusts me.

With all of the murder, rape, torture, terrorists attacks, mass shootings, sex slavery, bigotry, racism, and music videos of Miley Cyrus' flabby bum, it's no wonder depression is such a pressing issue for so many Americans.

We live in a day where every night before we fall asleep, we're just grateful that we and our loved ones are alive and well. “Nobody I know was brutally murdered today, so that's good news.” And we pray for another blessing tomorrow.

The world and its inhabitants have gotten to this point, and that is wrong and heart-breaking. I wonder, when God granted us free agency, did he know that it would get this bad? Isn't it interesting to think that the man you see on the news, the one that was busted for a basement full of children that were battered and sold for sex, was once standing (or floating?) beside us before this life, cheering at the announcement of God's plan? Eager to embark on the journey of a mortal life and prove his worth, Adolph Hitler once stood among the ranks of the children of God. If we were given free agency to prove our worth, then I would have to say that, as a whole, all we have proved is how undeserving we are. How ready we were not.

It's heavy. And it hurts.

And the dangers of this world are so much more concerning now that I have a child of my own. Out of sheer trust, this tiny angel was gifted to me to cherish and protect. With the ever increasing crime rates, I can't ignore the cold gripping fear of failure in the most crucial task I have ever been granted: keeping my daughter safe.

Today, as I jokingly explained why I should be deemed the supreme ruler of this planet because I would really put everyone in their place, the humor was corrupted by the shadow of reality. The horrors of this world crept into the corners of my mind, pressing against my thoughts throughout the day. It did not take long to realize I had unwittingly found myself in a very bleak state of mind.

This world isn't getting better. The prejudice, the wars, the greed, the hatred, and the violence. If anything, it's getting worse. As my daughter ages, our society will only continue to rot. The crime rate will continue to escalate. Our safety will begin to dwindle.
On a planet so wicked, what is the point in hoping for a pleasant life? Even if we are lucky enough to tread the years of mortality without facing a single demon, we will do so in fear and in dread, knowing so many of our fellow souls are suffering every single day.
I don't want to exist with these sick, twisted monsters that claim to be human. If this is the gift of free agency, I do not want it. Take it back.

I was heading towards the bottom of this pit. Digging myself deeper, and deeper. Once I realized that I had been staring at my computer screen for twenty minutes, pondering the tragedies of life, I knew I needed a distraction.

Enter, social media.

I shut my laptop, sat back, and pulled up Twitter and its never ending stream of mindless chatter to get my mind out of such dreary places. Do you want to know the first post that I saw on my feed?

It was a quote from a session of General Conference in April of 1996, from the beloved Gordon B. Hinckley.

“Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.”

If it weren't for this marvelous quote popping into view at that exact second, I know I would not have recovered from my own thoughts so easily. Once I read his wise words, I set my phone down, I opened my laptop, and I continued to write.

Just as he had done so many times in the past, when he was still smiling at me from the television on Sunday morning, Gordon B. Hinckley lifted my spirits when I needed it most. He reminded me that this life is wonderful, that this life is meant to be enjoyed.

We are here. What more can we do than take advantage of this time and live a life we can be proud of? Happiness is a choice that only YOU can make. It is not a choice the world can decide for you, no matter how hard it may seem to try.

When you're feeling blue, when your thoughts are hopeless or dark, I hope that you can look to this quote for the spark of light that you need. I hope it brings you as much peace as it did me.

Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.