Things Are Just Things

This week in class we were talking about the different reactions of parents when kids spilled or broke things. I'm not proud of this but I have to admit that I used to be the type of person who, when my younger siblings would make a mess, would yell and get angry. I always always ALWAYS felt terrible afterwards and then would do it again the next time my siblings misbehaved. I hate to think that I used to do that but what's the good in regretting? One day, however, when I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting, my bishop was talking about his grandchildren. While reflecting back on a time when they broke something in his house that was very valuable he said, "When you have grandchildren, you realize that things are just things." I realized just then the truth of his words and that happiness for everyone resulted only when I held my temper and made the best out of the situation. I'm proud to say now that I can't remember the last time I yelled at one of my siblings and our relationships have gotten so much stronger than they were before. I'm so grateful for that! It was an epiphany and I felt like the Lord was talking right to me and referring to my short temper with His children. I'm especially grateful to have learned this now because I'll have mastered it just a little more by the time they come around.