never perfect.

i had one of those little realizations last week.
an aha moment, if you will. (thanks for the phrase, oprah.)
in book of mormon we were talking about how life is never perfect. we never have perfect grades, a great boyfriend, happy family, awesome social life, tons of money, a job that we love, and time for ourselves all at the same time. we might have a few, even just one, and when we're in a real trial, maybe none at all.  God doesn't ever let life stay perfect for us because life wasn't designed to be perfect, it was designed to teach us.
so i got to thinking about all the things i want, and how down i can get about not having them sometimes. but then i realized i have most of the blessings listed above and many, many more. if i got everything i wanted, life would literally be perfect, and something would have to be taken away in order for me to grow. and i don't want any of the blessings i have taken away. they are far too precious to me.
i don't have perfect grades, but i have good ones. i have the opportunity to attend a university filled with the spirit of the Lord and the spirit of learning. i certainly don't have a boyfriend, but besides kisses, there is nothing a boyfriend can give me that i don't already have. my family is far from the ideal american home but we're growing together. i haven't made 10,000 new friends here at BYU, but my roommates are more than i could have ever asked for and i've seen my dear ones from high school so much more often than i'd hoped, and i love them so much and i'd like to keep it that way. i don't have a job, but i do have enough money. and i'm busy, but i still have enough time to make snowflakes out of paper & play mafia with my family home evening group on monday nights.
my life is far from perfect. but it is good. and there is nothing to complain about. i have it easy compared to a vast majority of the earth's population and i could not ask for anything more, even though i still do sometimes.
i am happy and i have enough and i would not trade what i do have for anything that i do not.

it's the grateful month. and that i am.