Robert writes home #62 essay-Focus on the spaces not the cracks.

#62

Dear Mother,

                Megan and Travis came over today after church. It was sure fun visiting them. I wish all of our kids and grand kids lived that close. I took Travis on a tour of the farm…watermelon patch, apricot trees, (we’re eating black berries, a few apricots, peaches, plums).

                We had our “fathers and sons outing” in the park in Los Banos last Friday night…volleyball, BBQ, and football game between the Melchizedek and the Aaronic priesthood. Charlie was so intent on getting there in time for the game that he woke me up from my nap at five o’clock to go. He has missed the previous two matches and didn’t want to be late for this one. The AP lost 5 to 3.

                Our weather has been much cooler this week…really nice.

                Charlie’s senior class went to Disneyland for the night last Thursday. They left about 10am  on buses and spent all night riding rides then left about 7am the next morning and rode back home. It’s a 5 or 6 hour drive.

                Tomorrow’s Memorial Day. I’m looking forward to a nice quiet day at home.

                We are praying for you.

                Magdalene, how is Tim doing with his heart situation now?

Love,

Rob, Janet, Charlie and Sam

PS another little essay:

                I think that Fear of not being equal to the demands of your life and Negative focus worrying about the things you’re afraid of, are two traits in humans which tend to cause or be associated with a depressed state of mind.

                When I was about five years old I remember someone saying to me, “I’ll bet you can’t walk a block on the sidewalk without stepping on a crack.” I tried, and I couldn’t do it.

                I was so focused on avoiding the crack that my momentum seemed to be directed towards them and I couldn’t help stepping on them. As I avoided the one I was looking at, my momentum would plunge me on to the next one before I saw it and by the time I saw it, it was too late to change my path of descent.

                Later, when I focused on the flat spaces and didn’t think about the cracks, I was able to walk the sidewalk stepping on only the flat spaces.

                It is so important that we concentrate on the positive things that we know will work and need to be done (the commandments and prophetic counsels) and don’t waste time contemplating all the ways to do it wrong and the consequences of doing it wrong. We talk about the consequences of sin to people who are choosing to follow Lucifer. People who are committed to following Christ don’t need to waste time thinking about going to hell. You mentally become the things you think about all the time. Set Positive goals and objectives then work towards them. Anticipate success, not failure.

                Focusing on avoiding the things you’re afraid of depresses you and fills your mental awareness with negative thoughts and prospects and unnecessary despair.

                Remember the old saying, “Be careful of the goals you set for yourself, you’re almost sure to achieve them”. Positive goals and the anticipation of their success, brings hope and excitement to life.