We live in a beautiful world

On Saturday I returned from a short trip to Arizona where I went for an interview at AT Still University. As my plane landed in Phoenix I looked out the window, saw the brown desert and the absence of green grass and trees, and thought, "What am I doing here? I could never live in such a desert!"


I spent that afternoon with my dad's cousin Richard and his wife Cindy. They showed me around Mesa, took me to see the temple, and told me all about what it is like to live there. The next day was my interview. I liked a lot of things about the school, and I didn't like a few things. By the time I flew out of the Phoenix airport on Saturday morning I had a new perspective. Arizona is beautiful, in a different sort of way. I know I would have a hard time with 100+ degree weather from June til September, but maybe the September til May weather would make up for it. :)

I was looking out the plane window somewhere over Colorado or something, and the mountains had a strange yellowish color in some places. It took me a few minutes of staring to realize that it was the leaves on the trees. It was fascinating to see from the air, but I just kept wishing I was down there, on that mountain, surrounded by those beautiful trees. Later when I looked out, I saw where the mountains ended and the great plains began. Goodbye, Rockies; Hello, Midwest.

When I landed in Wisconsin, my view from the plane window showed a huge green field, a wide blue sky, and perfect, white clouds. It looked just like a picture. And I realized, this world is so beautiful; at least it is everywhere I've ever been.

The leaves are changing and it's getting cool, and it's happening so fast that the snow will be here before we know it. I'm afraid of the winter, but I decided that I need to quit dreading winter so much that I don't enjoy the fall. And I also decided that our decisions on where to live don't need to be determined by the climate. Whether it's brutally cold, snowy winters, blazing hot summers, or humidity, every place has something to put up with. But every place has so much beauty to offer, too.