Principles

Might I rant...for a moment, on my own little piece of cyberspace?  This is in no way directed at anyone, it's merely a collection of thoughts from a concerned-to-tears young mother.

When Kristoffer and I were married, we had a few pages of scrapbook paper that people from our ward wrote pieces of advice on for our marriage.  One that I remember to this day is:

*Stick to your principles, and let your preferences go.*

I've been able to apply this my marriage frequently, and it has helped to ease my rather frenzied mother-mind quite a few times (don't deny it, you know you've all been there!).  There are things that really *don't* matter, in the grand scheme of things.  And, my husband has lightly teased me from time to time because I am a very principle driven person.  I feel very strongly that actions need to be consistent and a course must be followed through with, even if it is "just" for the principle.  We differ somewhat in this matter.  If, for example, we are talking about a "silly" monetary fee that may only amount to a few dollars, Kristoffer would rather pay the fee without question or further hassle, while I would rather correct the situation and get my 2 dollars back...not because I am really in dire straights for an extra two bucks, but because it's the principle.

I tell you all of this to preface my current frustration...with the world.  Where in the world have all the principles gone?!  Is no one out there standing for them anymore?!  It seems as though we've all found our petticoats in a tangled mess but we're content to leave them as is and pretend otherwise.  And by this I mean that it seems we've all kind of...taken the easy road.  What happened to true grit?  What happened to doing the right thing because it's the right thing?  Instead, here we are, exchanging our golden principles for

feather-y preferences, because, well, let's face it...it's too darned hard to carry those heavy golden principles around anymore.  Surely we can't be expected to carry the weight our WHOLE lives?!  We need to give ourselves a break, we need to lighten our load by giving up those heavy golden principles for some nice light preference feathers.  THOSE are by FAR, much easier to carry.  Right?  We would prefer to do so many other things than what the right thing is. 

So, to the world, to my own sweet children....what happens when you reach your journeys end, and you haven't the price to pay for eternal exaltation?  When you realize, far too late that entry can only be gained with payment of those golden principles?  And all you have in your satchel are worthless, light preference feathers?  Will they be enough to give your repentant mind a soft pillow as you bitterly weep for things lost?  I can only think of my sweet Young Women, the many young daughter's of God that I have had a blessed opportunity to work with over the years.  It is indeed a heavy burden to carry such solid gold principles, but we are never meant to carry it alone.  Please, don't ever trade your priceless principles for worthless preferences, no matter how hard to world will barter with you and nag at you and shamelessly try to fool you into thinking that feathers are better than gold.  Stand tall, press forward, endure to the end...and you will gain entrance to be greeted with; "Well Done.".