If we focus on the little forget-me-nots that surround us in life, we can find joy in our current circumstances.
Photo by Jens G.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught an important principle about perspective in his talk “Forget Me Not” by recounting the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Willy Wonka, a famous candy maker, hides five golden tickets in candy bars and announces that those who find the golden tickets will receive “tremendous things” and “marvelous surprises.” People all over the world desperately hunt for golden tickets, and candy bars without golden tickets become a disappointment. Elder Uchtdorf laments that the people no longer find joy in the chocolate, only in a golden ticket.
Life rarely turns out the way we want it to, and we often fall short of our “perfect” life. If our joy in life comes only when we reach big goals, we will have joy infrequently. However, we can also choose to find joy in the little things in our everyday lives.
Elder Uchtdorf gives a second analogy about finding joy. He describes forget-me-nots, which are tiny but beautiful flowers that are often overlooked in the search for bigger flowers. He says, “If we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us.”
When we recognize that we don’t need golden tickets or fabulous roses to have joy in our lives, we will be able to recognize the joy found in a simple candy bar or a tiny forget-me-not. How will you find joy in the little things in your everyday life?
Read more of Elder Uchtdorf’s talk.
Source: ChurchofJesusChrist.org
—Laura Bushman, Mormon Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY TOM EZZATKHAH
Find more insights
Take a look at other things we can do to be happy in this Mormon Insights article.
Read President Thomas S. Monson’s advice about finding joy in the journey.
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