Ode to Marriage

I seem to go through this ever rotating cycle of how I feel about love and marriage in general. It goes a little like this: "wow that guy's cute", getting to know them, being enamored by someone, dating them, loving them, breaking up with them, hating guys for a while, wanting to be a rich single doctor forever. Perhaps adopt kids. Done. End of story. Am I the only one who does this? These cycles can last from a few hours to a few months. If I don't snap out of it quickly, it is easy to get bitter. If you don't remind yourself daily that getting married and having joy in a family is the reason we came here to earth, it's easier than not to get swept up in the world's perspective of "YOLO" or "get rich and die famous". Most say it is way outdated to have a traditional family and want a eternal marriage with someone. Luckily I know better, and so does Sister Julie Beck.....

Shorter version of an amazing talk on the family-----Teaching the Doctrine of the Family (March 2011 Ensign)
Full version of that same amazing talk on the family--- Teaching the Doctrine of the Family (CES Broadcast)

So while being swept up is the confusion of the emotions of heartbreak and the world's noise coming in at every corner, I made this list. Got a new tablet, might as well use it to journal and write random lists like this to boost by faith. So, this is what I want. This is what I have to look forward too and what I will work for.

Ok yeah I cheated, I only wrote down 75. I am just gonna be anxiously awaiting to see what marriage is all about and write the extra 25 things down after I get the experience. I'm sure it is an optimistic view of how things will be but at least I can work for it right?

Oh and while I am on lovely and optimistic, here is one of my favorite songs lately.......

It's it lovely?

Or how about this message about families and fatherhood?

Or if you don't believe Julie Beck or John Legend or the Mormon Message, try CNN:

"A man's top 5 reasons to grow up and get married "

So after watching my amazing co-worker and her husband through their first year of marriage and pregnancy and how happy she seems- it is worth it. After watching cute 80 year old couples hold hands walking down the neighborhood, it's worth it. After watching couples have kids and go through hard times and still kiss each other goodbye and say "I love you", it's worth it. I want that. Although it is uncommon, not easy nor convenient, I still believe in the doctrine of the family. Like Sister Beck warns..

"This generation will be called upon to defend the doctrine of the family as never before. If they don’t know the doctrine, they can’t defend it." 

So this is my resolution: to keep fighting for the hope of a family no matter what the world says, and no matter how skewed I seem to get. In the end, I know it will be hard but infinitely worth it.