There have been many times in my life where I have needed a guardian angel. Sometimes it was just when I was sad and being self destructive and needed to be saved from myself. Sometimes it was because I had done something stupid and ended up in a dangerous situation. Whatever the reason I have always had somebody come along to give me that little bit of help I needed. Whether it was a hand up, or a little dose of courage to keep going.
The best part is when somebody I don't even know comes along to help, because it is in those moments that I feel closest to seeing the face of Christ. I know that he sees me in those situations and even before I land myself in them and has somebody come along to help serve. Eternal gratitude for those who have been angels in my life.
I have always wanted to be an angel in the lives of others as well. Even if it is something so small it isn't recognized. I don't know if I have or not, but I love to look out for other people that might need help. One of my favorite things to do is open doors for people. It isn't a huge thing by any means, just holding the door open for somebody. It is just a small and simple act that doesn't take much at all and can still make somebody feel good, like they matter. My mom taught me to do it I think. She trained me as a gentleman from a very young age, and I am still learning as I go.
To serve others is what I love to do. Big service projects, little service projects, or anything in between. I love to teach stuff that I know, and help other people learn. I love my church callings because it is an opportunity to serve all the time. I used to think that I needed to be loved to share my love, and that I had a lot of love to give. I know differently now. I know that loving others is a part of living. Loving no matter what, serving others no matter what. It is so funny that I can find Love in everything.
Loving my fellowman through service is one of the best ways for me to get closer to God. It is all about becoming more Chirstlike. Will I ever get there?? I doubt it. I am going to give it my best effort though. I am going to make my life one of service and serving others. Whether they deserve it or not. So often in the scriptures I find that we are told that we don't get to judge, that is Christ's job. We get to forgive everybody and love one another and just keep doing everything we can to perfect ourselves. It totally makes sense too. If I forgive everybody for everything and love everybody as commanded in the scriptures I will lose sight of all negative feelings that even exist. I can't think of somebody has horrible if I forgive them for what they did. I can't hold a grudge if I love somebody. I would go crazy and my head would explode if I even tried to do that.
So often in my life I have had great examples of service. I have my family and friends to thank for it. I am working to improve myself to do better, to be someone that everybody will say at my funeral, "his life was filled with service." Time on this earth is limited for all of us. We are born we age and we die. It is what we put between our birth and our death that is the measure of ourselves. We are born into life as but babes, our actions and the mark we leave on others will determine if we go out as a giant or not. If our footprint on the hearts of others and the rest of the world is small or large all depends on how we serve others in this life.
If you want to be forgotten live for yourself, If you want to be remembered lose yourself in a life of service.
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