Like Nephi

So the last little while has been kind of tough on me. Work has been really stressful and frustrating and on top of that, my LSAT scores have taken a dive. Everything kind of culminated to a head recently when after studying for hours and hours, I got the worst score on an LSAT that I had ever gotten. BIG LET DOWN.

Tears have been fast and free this last little while for me. I would consider myself a generally even keeled person, but all of this stress has created a whole new me. I will cry about just about anything...we run out of milk, tears begin to form. The laundry isn't done, tears begin to form. An appointment gets moved at work, tears begin to form...so you see, I have become rather sensitive as of late. It is obvious to me that all of this stress is taking a significant toll on my emotional health, so since this night of epic breakdown mentioned earlier, I have taken steps to relieve my stress and gain back my sanity. However, on that particular night, I was a total mess. I tried to be strong and not care, but by the time Parker got home from his day, I had been strong a long time...and the tears returned.

Because Parker is awesome and always seems to know what to say to make me feel better, he mentioned to me that I should probably read the story of Nephi. Nephi is a prophet in the Book of Mormon who lived between 600 and 500 BC. Nephi had a lot of struggles particularly with his older brothers, and his most poignant trials are described in the Book of Mormon. Following Parker's advice, I promptly began reading these stories. There is something about that book that just drags the tears right out of me. So after a while, when I could no longer see the words through my tears, I decided to stop reading. Parker turned out the light, and as we lay there in the dark, Parker whispered "Like Nephi, this girl, Like Nephi." This made me cry a little harder because Nephi's trials weren't exactly a cake walk...but it comforted me too. Then as we still lay there trying to go to sleep, I broke the silence with this question directed to my husband, "But Parker, do you think that Nephi probably cried a little when he was tied to the mast of that ship for days?" Parker's immediate response, "I'm sure he cried like a baby."

And that folks is why I married my husband. Right there. It really mattered very little if in fact Nephi did cry like a baby while tied to the mast of that ship because, in that moment...Parker knew what I needed to hear. Thank goodness for the people in our lives who help us through trials.