simply learning.

last summer as i started to travel to europe it was a very very long journey to get there. i remember thinking we were going to be stuck on a plane for forever going all around the world. and yes i have always wanted to go all around the world but i would like to at least spend some time on the ground. we received 3 little care bags because of 3 different delays that had a tooth brush and some airline wash cloth. it was miserable. and then when we got there they lost our luggage. for not just a few hours but a few days. 

why am i bringing this up? well lately i have been learning a lot about life. surprise! and though i'm sure you might all be sick of my "life learnings" that's how i document what's going on around me and that's why i have my blog :) 

anyways. the lesson i have recently learned it this: a simple life is simply perfect.

i thought about how frustrated i was that i couldn't get to europe when i thought i was going to and though i did have a good attitude for the most part (see picture above haha) i was going to europe of all places! and that's got me thinking. so many times i focus on silly things to make me happy. like if only i could have better skin or if tests came just a little bit easier to me. most often it has to do with money and how i hope i make enough with a certain job that i get when i graduate from college so that i could adventure with my family or get great stuff. then i had a little bit of a wake up call.

you see i was sitting in an LDS church building in the middle of nowhere small town Utah called Koosharem. (where's that? i'm not even really sure but it's the best place ever, next to The Ranch in idaho of course which is also in the middle of nowhere) I felt like I was in the south. everyone was so welcoming and loving! but one of the talks was given by a quite older guy. he was telling us how he would take his granddaughter out on a date every month to get ice cream. first of all, your hearts should already be melted because i would give anything to sit down with a bowl of ice cream with either of my grandpas. but that week someone had hacked into his bank account and taken everything and by everything i mean even the most recent pay check he had just deposited. everything. he told his 11 year old granddaughter and he goes on to say, "she looked at me confused and said well grandpa at least they didn't take anything important." 

at that moment i think i got struck by lightning. i'd almost bet on it if i could. i've been thinking what that little girl said since i heard that story 2 weeks ago and have really tried to look at life differently. yes it would be nice to have better skin because i have always struggled with that or even do better on tests because i feel like that is a never ending terrible cycle of incredibly bad luck or have lots of money and all of that stuff would be really great and i do want to be able to live comfortably with a future family but what's most important? 

well i thought about that question a lot this week and this was my list:

My Heavenly Father

Jesus Christ,

The Gospel,

My Family

and i'd even go on to add education at least in some way shape or form.

As long as i have those who i love around me i have it all because some people don't even have that! how lucky am i to be going to BYU, traveled quite a bit, teach little kids how to clog, have a great job, AMAZING friends, and the best family in the entire world? well i'm not sure how i got so blessed but i bet if you looked around you would find the same thing.

what makes you truly happy? for me i have found it really is all the simple things! it's: a bowl of reid's dairy ice cream (thank you idaho), it's reading a good book on my back porch with the hot sun, it's talking to my mom about life experiences, a funny picture on pinterest, sleeping in a few extra minutes, and so much more little simple things. 

as i have come to this conclusion of "simple living is simply happiness" i have been a heck of a lot happier and ever so grateful. try it. it's simple. it's the best. it's happiness.  

go team.