Pick Your Battles

I can’t tell you how many times I heard the words, “Pick your battles”, from my mom’s mouth growing up. Sometimes those words would grind at every core of my being, but other times, it would remind me that I was, quite possibly, being intolerant to others, and sometimes even myself.

Just exactly what did she mean? Sometimes we are so quick to judge someone, other times we snap at someone for unimportant things. I believe it was a reminder to us to think about how we would feel in the same situation, and decide if responding to someone or something the way we automatically want to is worth it. Is it worth the sad, harsh, or bad feelings we may cause to someone? She would tell us, “Stop! Think about what you are about to say. Would it hurt your feelings if someone said it to you?” And, most importantly, “Is it worth it?”

Intolerance can be so ugly. Why is it the world is so quick to judge? It seems people are getting so much more intolerant of others? Does it really matter if a person doesn’t dress the way you think is “cool”? Or if they color their hair pink, blue, or even purple? Does it matter if someone looks poor, or acts like an imbecile at times? What if that person is just letting loose after a horrible life’s challenge? Does it matter if others have a difference of opinion about politics, religion, social status, or even about gays and lesbians? We all are somewhere different in our lives. You never know the battle someone if fighting. Some of the tiniest obstacle for you, could be someone else’s mountain to climb. So, when I hear my mom’s words of “Pick your battles”, I am reminded that letting words just pop out of my mouth is not what I should do. I need to listen to her words and decide, before I speak, if the words I am about to spew is worth what will come about if I say them.

She also uttered the words, “Remember who you are and what you stand for” as we were walking out the door. She has stated that she didn’t think those words even stuck with any of us, but I can tell you from my own memory, boy did they ever! I would often walk out, and, as I was driving, would reflect upon those words. Who I am really? Well, I know that her point was, “I am a child of God, who loves me”, so when I heard those words, I was reminded that I have a Heavenly Father and I have made covenants with him. I was also warmed with the feeling of the love that he has for me. Tears often would come to my eyes at the knowledge of that great love and I wanted to do good; for him. Doing good is what she meant for “what you stand for”. Her hopes in telling each one of us that as we left the house, was that we would make good and wise choices. Choices that would remind everyone around us what we stand for. We stand for Jesus. We stand for love and everything that is good. Her constant reminder, at just the perfect time, will forever be in my mind. Even in the rough times, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and wants me to be happy. Living with those words have repeatedly reminded me that making good choices and following the commandments will lead me back to my Heavenly Father and brother, Jesus Christ, as well as my family. I’m so grateful for that knowledge and hope that I can always take time to reflect upon the words of my mother; “Remember who you are, and what you stand for”.