Dating

As individuals, we find ourselves looking for that special someone, our soul mate, our companion, the one that we will be with forever.  During this journey, we may experience love, as well as heartache.  I believe that we must take risks in order to find happiness.  Someone once said that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.  While some may disagree with this statement, I think that it contains some truth to it.  While all of us at some point may experience loss, disappointment, rejection, betrayal, or even a broken heart, we do not need to feel like that forever.  We never know who will come in to our lives next.  Life goes on with or without us, so we might as well keep up.  The quote below from the movie The Holiday provides some interesting insights that I thought you might benefit from.
  
"I understand feeling as small and as insignificant as humanly possible. And how it can actually ache in places you didn't know you had inside you. And it doesn't matter how many new haircuts you get, or gyms you join, or how many glasses of chardonnay you drink with your girlfriends... you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong or how you could have misunderstood. And how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he'll see the light and show up at your door. And after all that, however long all that may be, you'll go somewhere new. And you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again. And little pieces of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade." -Iris Simpkins, The Holiday

Service

I had an interesting experience while I was at work last week.  As some of you may know, I work at a grocery story part time while attending Brigham Young University Idaho.  As I was helping a customer with their groceries, we engaged in small talk, and the topic of the holidays came up.  He told me that he was only home for a short time, that he was in the army, and that he would be returning to Iraq in the near future.  I have a great amount of respect for those that serve our country, which caused me to try and think of something meaningful to say to him.  I proceeded to thank him for his service, and he simply replied, "no problem."  I was caught off guard at his response.  What he was doing for me, you, and everyone else in this country was something significant.  It struck me that his response was so simple.  It caused me to think about the great sacrifices that are made in our behalf.  Do we realize what others are doing for us?  Are we grateful for their efforts?