Mind the Gap

Delivered in a cool and sophisticated voice, the frequent passengers of London's tube have the opportunity of hearing this gentle word of caution a fairly bearable dozens of times a day. The theoretically helpful and unnamed woman seeks to remind riders that there is an unexpected space between the transition of train car floor to solid ground.



I've decided I desperately need to find this unnamed woman and have her calming voice narrate my life.



'mind the gap'
The subject of this post is due to the current 'gap' I inhabit in my own life, and the fact that someone very wise and dear to me pointed out this remarkable phrase whilst meters under the bustling London street level.

 

Life is full of gaps. They're uncomfortable. They're exciting. They're that moment when you step from a fast moving phase and realize that -temporarily- nothing occupies the space below your feet. It takes more than a shuffle to transport your little feet and heavy baggage from the train onto an unfamiliar platform.

Big steps cross the gaps.

 

With my short legs and, as result, petite strides, I openly admit that gaps are hard for me. Recent gaps have involved changes in living arrangements, lifestyle, eating habits, dressing habits, languages, and continents. The current gap I find myself in requires me to hop the Atlantic Ocean to be situated in a new apartment, new schedule, and new job.



It's a new platform to be sure. That being said, we are never without supports on new platforms. We have the familiar items in our luggage, and life is such that the basic layout of each platform is relatively the same. A warm bed, the availability of food, and running water are- thankfully- almost always nearby.

Fantastic friends, loving family, faith, and a healthy dose of optimism help us to 'mind the gap' in transitions. I find that the moment I've stepped onto a new platform and the safety of the train rolls away behind me, terror grips me and my stomach pretzels itself into an unadventurous and frightened knot.

However, the funny realization that gaps can teach us is the truth that once we wrestle with them and find a blissful sense of comfort, we can surprise ourselves by beginning to crave another one.
There are times for gaps and times to set down roots. Both phases are beautiful and both are precious to me.
Well...standing on an unfamiliar platform with suitcases in hand, I know that this gap WILL be precious to me in retrospect. They always are. With every hiccup will come a solution. Every moment of sheer terror will be countered by a kind stranger giving directions and a friend taking a similar journey.
As we all arrive on new platforms with cooler weather and a busy school year, I hope that I can watch my doors of opportunity clatter open, take a deep breath, and in my best imitation of a refined British accent remind myself to "mind the gap".

These are the days

My heavy eyelids cracked open against the hazy light pouring in the dusty windowpane. Warmly tucked inside the old blankets of the 10 by 15 ft mildew smelling room, nothing but a thick aura of exhaustion registered in my head. I temporarily forgot where I was, my memory reassembling the last 24hrs as I watched the silhouette of a large spider twirl as he repelled down a bookcase. London. I remembered my host Mia’s elegant accent, hipster clothing, and voluminous curly hair.



I was couch surfing in a small flat in the London neighborhood of Islington, all my clothing supplies neatly stowed in the backpack at my feet and fully clothed in yesterday’s outfit. Let’s just say I’ve experienced many better and beautifully boring mornings. Shell shocked by such a dramatic change in environment, culture, and living conditions, it seemed impossible to comprehend that I had been in Jerusalem only 48 short hrs before.

 

There are a few, rare moments in life where we are consciously aware that our immediate circumstances, our current phase, is a prominent and defining chapter in the volume that chronicles our time in mortality. In the LDS Church, many wise husbands and fathers describe their two-year missions as such a defining experience. Weddings and the arrivals of children are also commonly referenced. Defining experiences can be anything from an intense competition to an eye-opening international experience.



If there is one phrase I could repeatedly use to describe my summer and its meaning in my life, I would say “these are the days”. These are the days where I realized that I would forever see a passage of scripture in a new spiritual and physical light. These are the stereotype shattering days where I was serenaded by Gregorian chant, befriended by kind Muslims, and a witness to political injustice. These are the days where I made life-long connections that will forever impact who I am and desire to become.

 

These are the days….I know they have and will alter the course of my life.

 

Within the past week, I have knelt in a train car bathroom due to an unexpected emergency, attended Evensong in St. Paul’s and befriended a priest, observed an Olympic match, and strained my neck due to my utter fascination at Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel.

 

What does one say when presented with the overwhelming richness of so many wonders?

 

These are the days.



I’m realizing that I need to have this perspective more often in my life. I need to have my eyes and ears wide open, my energy high, and my heart grateful and receptive to what truth can be taught to me. High school, College-life, and difficult young parenthood are “the days” that only inhabit a small portion of our lives. I want to wring every drop out of the rich sponge that is my current phase and paint the town with the vibrant colors of my experiences.

 

I want to fill my “unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run” for the rest of my life as Rudyard Kipling’s IF so profoundly encourages.

 

I don’t need a light show at the Eiffel tower, a sunset in Jerusalem, or a bell tone in London to close my eyes, internally crouch ready and eager to learn and experience, and say “these….these are the days”.

 

Enjoy today.

Making it Count

SO sorry I've been such a terrible blogger! Don't worry though-- I intend to make up for covered ground so stay tuned for some AMAZING stories in the not too distant future.

A few weeks ago, as we sat in the orange folding seats of the forum waiting for weekly announcements, we were informed that Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would soon be arriving at the Jerusalem Center. In the LDS faith, we believe that God continues to speak to prophets and apostles today as He did in ancient times. Elder Holland is one of those few apostles who receive revelation from God on behalf of millions of members across the globe.

We were completely and absolutely stunned. The realization of such an exciting surprise grew as we received instructions to be respectful and provide space for our guest as he passed us on the stairs or ate in the cafeteria.

For the rest of the day, all we could talk about was the upcoming arrival of Elder Holland and his children, continually peeking our heads out into hallways to see if we could get a glimpse of him as he walked past. During the next few days, I had the opportunity to exchange greetings with him, his loving and genuine manner as infectious as ever. I was so touched with the generosity of the Hollands and their children, and was reminded of people in my life whose lives are now wholly dedicated to God. The effort and sacrifice of such a noble work is enormous and, at times, an overwhelming burden to bear.

The climax of Elder Holland’s visit occurred during our Sabbath services. After being informed that Elder Holland would give a few closing remarks after the scheduled speakers, the entire congregation grew restless when the clock revealed only five minutes were available to our honored guest. As he stood before us, the room became thick with the presence of a powerful spirit. In bold and passionate language, Elder Holland charged us with a responsibility to never be the same after our experience here. He shared with us that he wept because of the knowledge that the people of the world cannot all come to Jerusalem and experience the Holy Land as we have.



His message was a call to arms. “Dark storms lie ahead,” he warned us. “I need to be able to COUNT on you”. Wow. I felt my heart begin to hammer at the intensity of his words. They were delivered with clear and powerful conviction, and the accompaniment of the spirit was so forceful that I was absolutely certain of their surety. I am a witness of this place, of this spirit….and I intend to testify of it.



Even after Elder Holland closed his remarks-forty minutes after the meeting should have ended- the room was pulsing with the rich and palpable energy of the power of his message. The spirit is truly a remarkable testifier.

The world is getting more complex and hard times lie ahead. As Elder Holland shared with us, even the Church will come up against dark and daunting forces. His address to us gave me inspiration that was firmly delivered and received with total resolution. When the time comes, I want to straighten my back, plant my feet, look into Elder Holland’s firm and righteous countenance and say with absolute conviction “you can count on me”.