Broken things to mend

A wise man once preached from the pulpit, "don't let breakups break you up." Words of wisdom that still ring true, especially when I need them the most.

Breaking up is a funny thing, a funny and excruciating thing. It's hard not to feel broken when you've just spent a good portion of your life with someone, investing all of your time and energy in to the relationship. Then, one day, out of the blue, it's over. Really over. The person you spent every spare moment with, the one you talked to for hours on end about the randomness of life, and the complexities of it, the person you loved more than anyone else on the earth, the one you daydreamed with, laughed with, cried with, and everywhere and in between, is gone forever...

Suddenly there is this void, one that can't be explained unless you've gone through it before. You replay over in your mind how it could have gone differently, how it could have been better, why it has to happen, and how you can stop it from happening. It is a terrible feeling of loneliness, despair, anger, remorse, and grief. It feels as if you are physically broken.

Luckily, there is hope. Even if we feel broken, we can be mended through Jesus Christ, and through the amazing sacrifice of His Atonement. We can be mended by friends, family, Bishops, and leaders, too. We are mended through the power of prayer, temple attendance, and laughter. We are mended by the hope of blessings the Lord, in His infinite love, surely has in store for all of us. We are mended through the help and strength that comes as we serve others and allow them to serve us. It hurts, but it won't hurt forever.

Hope also comes through the Prophets of God. President Hinckley wrote this poem and it was printed in the funeral program of his dear wife. Consider how he must have felt losing his companion, yet he stood strong in faith:

It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. 

It all works out. Don’t worry. 

I say that to myself every morning. 

It will all work out.

Put your trust in God, 

and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. 

The Lord will not forsake us. 

He will not forsake us. 

If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, 

if we will live worthy of His blessings, 

He will hear our prayers.

Isn't that beautiful? It is not only beautiful, it is true. So, even though I feel broken, I will not let this break me up. I will be strong. 

The good news is that God knows exactly what I'm going through right now, and knows just what I need! Lots of friends and the best program ever, SOAR!! There is no better medicine than losing yourself in the service of others... Here are some pictures of first session: 

Me and My Girls at the Ropes Course

Paulina and I conquer Y Mountain!

Temple Square

We were supposed to be helping the kids at the Career Fair, but instead... Love the counselors!!

Banquet night with my girls, aren't the beautiful?

Dance night; This is Eric working the ladies dancing with 2 girls at once, you go boy!

Then there was the Fourth of July festivities! I love celebrating America in all it's glory, especially among wonderful friends. Oddly enough, the holiday was the day after the break up, just what I needed:

It's always an adventure with Katie; Austin said that if you flip up one side of the hat, it's Australia style...

We were very patriotic, and it wasn't even planned. 

If you want to feel free after a breakup, put on a Superman cape and scooter around strangers like you are the coolest person alive. Seriously, it's a new form of therapy.

The best shot of the night: GO AMERICA! 

The moral of the story is I have the best friends ever. Thank goodness for good friends, there is no way I could have done these past few days without them... So, if you're reading, thank you, my friends, I love you dearly. 

So, I had a break up, and it sucked. But, life doesn't suck, it just goes on, and now all I can do is fill my life with things that don't suck quite as much. The good news is that the more things we go through that suck, the better we can help others when they go through crappy times. I find joy in that fact: even though I hate it when hard things happen, if I can help just one person by going through it, it is worth it. Eternally, all of this will all be worth it, and there is a healing and mending power in that.