Overlooking Beauty‏

Melanie Bolton

Sister Hritz

English 106-37

6 May 2013

Overlooking Beauty

            I am clinging to the door handle of my Dad’s truck, eyes shut, as if my grip could keep the vehicle on the bumpy, narrow road. My Dad and Mom have placed us in the truck and camper, for a weekend family camping trip. After several hours (which seems like days), my Dad stops the truck at the top of the last rise of the winding, mountain track.  He breathes deeply and says, “Wow. This view always takes my breath away. Just look at God’s beautiful creations!” I too take a deep breath, but mine is to alleviate the panic I know I am going to feel as soon as I see the steep escarpment, which I silently pray won’t be the reason for our untimely demise. I will myself to look. In front of me is a gray-white mountainside which drops off severely to valleys on both sides of the road. Scrubby looking grass is dotted sparsely across the top of the mountain. My eyes follow the road downward to the right, as it parts the dusty, rocky, mountain. Suddenly, I see magnificence. The valley below me is blanketed in waves of green meadow grass. On one side of the gulley stands a tall army of Ponderosa pine trees, sentinels of this forest island. Lying idle in the sun at the bottom of this valley is a beautiful body of lake, a turquoise jewel.

            While I am admiring the picturesque basin, my Dad points to our left and commands us, “Look there!” I turn my gaze to view yellow-brown and red-clay plateaus, distant purple mountains, and a vast, barren, uninhabitable desert. As I am gazing, my Dad declares, “This is definitely God’s country.” Have I misunderstood him? Here are two contrasting views from one mountain height. Could both be beautiful? To this child, the lake, amid grass dotted with wildflowers of red, purple and yellow, with the pine trees which surround the valley, is the winner of nature’s beauty pageant. Yet, my Dad has called the desert scene beautiful also. In my mind, there could not be two winners. We drive on, and the question in my mind is not settled.

            Many years later, I disembark my car at the same crest on the mountain. I look over both valleys, realizing how much I have missed this panorama, the desert plateaus on one hand, the verdant valley on the other. This viewpoint is magnificent, literally breathtaking. Seeing it through my wiser, adult eyes, I realize this is the most beautiful spot in the world. I declare to my Dad, who is standing with my children, “This is definitely God’s country!”

More comment from Melanie:

I thought maybe you would like to read an creative essay I had to write about Overlooked Beauty. I received high marks and praise for the paper. It was limited to 450 words, so I feel it could have been better if I had been allowed to elaborate a bit more...you know, be more wordy. :)

Mel

Myrna wrote: Oh, Melanie, dear heart. It is perfect as it is. I had an editor once who said that enough words needed to be used to cover the subject but short enough to keep the reader's attention. I think the quote is more like: essays are like skirts--long enough to cover the subject short enough to make it interesting.

I shed a few tears. I agree with your teacher. You should have high marks and an A+.

I love you. I am so proud of you.

Dad is napping after mowing the grass. I printed it off for him to read.

Leonard wrote: Thanks for sharing this with us. I am proud of you and your writing brought back many happy memories. I am asking your mother to share this with all of your siblings. I wanted your mother to send this on. Thanks for writing this, Melanie.

Shawn wrote: Thanks. I loved it Melanie. You are so gifted and lack nothing in comparison to the scene described.

Kirsten wrote: Where's the "like" button?!!!!

Letter to the Family

This week, we have several birthdays. David's was on Sunday, AnnMarie and A.J. will celebrate on Tuesday and little Jens will be age two on Friday. Hopefully, everyone has money inside their envelopes. ;) I had Gramps look while I was putting the money inside so, if there is a mistake, it took two of us to make it.

I remember the excitement we felt as we wecomed each new addition to our family. What joy we knew then and that joy has just grown over the years.

Auntie Helen is healing well. Her knee is nearly better and she will be able to have Nanci go home. Nanci has been so good to stay the entire time that Auntie has needed her. As you know, because she writes, Auntie Eva is still doing as well as she can. She does not have a car anymore but she does have a motorized cart that she can use to get around closeby.

Matthew really injured himself Saturday when he crashed and burned on a friend's motor scooter. He has some bad injuries to his knee and elbow. Auntie AnnMarie is doing her best to help him heal with her nursing/doctoring ability.

The other grandchildren are all doing well. You know that Braden is now in Peru. Siovhan was nominiated for an Emmy. Alyssa is going to be in a musical this summer. Donovin's ball team is doing well. Dane and Kyle are graduating. Kyle and his father get to travel Europe this summer because of the TimpView music department. Each grandchild has achieved in all kinds of activities. We see some of the performances, like Emily's and Tyler's via Facebook postings. We just are so proud. We are proud of our missionary grandsons and the work they are doing to aid their fellow beings.

We have been very, very busy at the temple the past two weeks. Of course, we usually are as the universities are out for the summer. That is a time when all of the young people chose to marry so we are accustomed to that. However, this year has been a bit different. We are getting many young men who are soon to graduate from high school and will be leaving on missions in the next few weeks. I can only imagine what that has been like--getting ready for graduation and getting ready for a mission at the same time. Also, I have been over the specail dressing room, as part of my calling, for the women. We have had a great number of young women, age 19, who are now preparing to leave for missions. Each mission, I am certain, benefit from the willingness of the youth in stepping up to serve.

We have also had big sessions at the temple with women filling the sessions as part of the "Dressed in White" program. That has been most helpful and we hope will continue to bring people to the temple. We have seen many people from our youth and folks that used to live near us in Carbon County and also many who lived in Nephi at one time or another.

Some of us sisters were laughing at a time line that one of the sisters had filled out with her personal feelings. There was a large space between birth and age 20. Then, each decade, the space got smaller between the decade marks. Finally, she had drawn age 70 and several letters "s" and had followed that with age 80 and a large "P" which she then explained. It seems that life streateches out before us with lots of time to accomplish our goals when we are young. Then we hit age 70 and the scared age, when we know time will be short. Then comes age 80 and the panic sets in. We know that we will never get our 30-years worth of repenting done in the time we have left. None of us will be here in another 30 years and, if we are, we may not even know who we are. The upshot is, do not wait for deathbed repentence. Do as you should while you are young.

"As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. And day by day, the hope of God’s light will grow within us, 'brighter and brighter until the perfect day.'" —Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Hope of God's Light"

We wish you well. We are praying for your success and for your happiness. Keep up the good work. We love you.

Dane/Sorina

Sorina Choir Program  Wed. May 8th

9:30 am school assembly, Orchard Elementary or

6:00 pm choir concert at Canyon View Jr. High

Sorina Piano Program Wed. May 22nd

6:00 pm, somewhere in Orem, not sure location yet.

Dane Graduation Thurs. May 23rd

2:00 pm Utah Valley University Ballroom, pictures at 1 pm 

Thanks for sharing, Ella Dean and Elosie.

How true! For some reason I am feeling very mortal and temporary right now. I am not dying, just getting older. This article,  "And then it's winter," hit the spot where I am. Thanks for sharing, Ella Dean and Elosie.

Worth reading and remembering...

AND THEN IT IS WINTER…
"I FIRST STARTED READING THIS EMAIL & WAS READING FAST UNTIL I REACHED THE THIRD SENTENCE. I STOPPED AND STARTED OVER READING SLOWER AND THINKING ABOUT EVERY WORD. THIS EMAIL IS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK. READ SLOWLY!

"You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.
But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.
But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be. Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...its over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.
So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!
"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.
LIVE IT WELL!
ENJOY TODAY!
DO SOMETHING FUN!
BE HAPPY !
HAVE A GREAT DAY
Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.
Your kids are becoming you......but your grandchildren are perfect!
Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
You forget names.... But it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!
You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... especially golf.
The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.
You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep".
You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..
You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ???
Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.
You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!
What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
Everybody whispers.
You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.
But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!
Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!!
It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.

I couldn't have said it better myself!

Kylene's Dissertation

Myrna wrote:What was the topic of your dissertation? It sounds intriguing.

Kaylene Armstrong: I looked at student newspapers in the 1960s through Kent State in 1970 and how they covered the protests on their own campuses. I interviewed all the old editors and reporters and got lots of fun back stories, the stuff that never made it into the paper like the editors getting threatening phone calls and being spit on, the University of Utah newspaper going underground because protesters were trying to take it over (they worked out of a OB-GYN doctor's office downtown SLC, doc was an editor's grandpa), stuff like that.

Myrna wrote: I would love to read it. Is it available now or is it not yet printed?

Kaylene wrote: Not printed yet. Someday.

Schedule for Howards

On Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 8:35 AM, L H and Myrna Trauntvein <mandlht@msn.com> wrote:

When are the concerts and when is the graduation? Matt's and Kyle's are the same day but at different times. I would like to know the dates and times right away so that we can make Dad's appointments around them. The Dr. doing his eyes is Lohner--the son of our obgyn.  I think his kids were in Wastach.

May 9 at 7:30 Choir concert - Megan and Kyle

May 14 at 6:30 Elementary Honor Band concert at Centennial - Matthew

May 14 at 7:30 Orchestra Concert - Megan

May 19 at 7:00 pm Seminary Graduation - Kyle

May 23 at 9 am Matthew's band concert, I guess.  That is what is on the calendar, but I can't go because it is daytime.  I'll have to see if there is an evening show.  I'm guessing the honor band concert on the 14th is supposed to be his final nighttime one.

May 29 at 10 am - 6th Grade Graduation - Matthew

May 29 at 7 pm - HS Graduation at UVU.

A Postscript

I have a new goal: go to bed before midnight. I seem so antsy to myself that I decided I maybe needed to stop burning the candle at both ends. So I will be brief and then get to bed. We do love you and we wanted you to know that.

My other goal, to enjoy each day as it unfolds has been good for me. I spend too much time worrying about things that I cannot change and not enough worrying about the things I can. So, I reason, I will enjoy each day with gratitude for being alive. I have enjoyed just being with Dad/Gramps and just being thankful that we can still know who we are. Some of the folks I work with at the care center on Sundays are not that lucky. Some of them, for example, have trouble finding the pages of the hymn though they still can sing the words. It worries some of the residents that they do not have the right page  but they have all the words tucked away somewhere at any rate and do not need the page at all. But, I go around and find pages for them so they will be happy. Most of them are only 10 years older than I am.  Really. They are 82 or so and I am 72. I hope that my mind holds out longer than theirs have. Of course, some of the folks I work with at the temple are fine and are in their late 80s. I wonder what really makes the difference?

Additions to Missionaries

Ben, please let me know if you got your birthday money. I may have not enclosed the money, in spite of my saying that I had.

We are proud of you, Ben and Michael, our two missionary grandsons, who are serving. 

Reading those letters each week is such a great blessing to us. We print them off and read the hard copies and then save them in a binder. It will be something to have when we are old. (Oh, wait, we are old.) They will be read and re-read. 

Michael, you have such a good spirit and we so enjoy your cheery outlook on your mission. We love you and we are proud of you. You are doing a good job. We will keep praying for you and your companion to meet with continued success.

Ben, we are proud of the hard work you put in each week. We love you and we are proud of you. You are doing a good job. We will keep praying for you and your companion to meet with continued success.

Can you help with your memories?

From Myrna:
David Dear, 
I will keep sending you updates. I would still be interested in the images you have stored away. Maybe we can piece some things together. Why I didn't write things down back when there were still people I could have asked (like your mom), I do not know. Jot down those stories for me, please. I have spent my life planning on "tomorrow" and have realized that I am getting old enough that I do not have so many of those left. I love you.

Myrna,
 I wish there was something that I could really help you with.  I remember talking with mom about names in pictures, and stories, and I always thought (then) that I would remember, and even if I didn't, I could always ask mom again - or Garth or Richard. Obviously, not such a good plan.  If I could go back in time, I would write it down.  Since I received your email, I've been trying to think of any and all memories that might be interesting.  What I seem to have is an awful lot of images and snapshots in time, but no real stories with reference points.  
 I'm sorry, I wish I could be of more help.  I do want to read the history when you are finished. :)

 Love you, Dave

We do love you!

We were SO busy at the temple on Friday and Saturday that it was wonderful. We always like to be filled to capacity and we were. Gramps/Dad and I were over the 2:30 p.m. session and we had 79 women on that session (and 40 plus men). My goodness, I had a hard time seating all the women. Every available seat was used and (its a good thing we use benches) they were crowded in somewhat. We had three own endowments on our session. The night before, I was over the women's special dressing room and I had several own endowment sisters. Two of those young women were on the 7:20 p.m. session and, because of the large number of people on that session, it was slow getting done. It was after 10 p.m. before we left and, normally, we should be finished by 9 p.m. We are thinking, now that universities are done, it will be a busy time with many weddings and missionaries leaving. It would have been nice to have one session that had so many people there but they were all big. Two sessions before ours, they had 79 women.

It has been so fun, also, to see so many young women who are going on missions. Three weeks ago, two of the young women were going to the same mission and were set to go into the MTC the same day and time. We all thought that it was neat that they got to meet at the temple. We wondered if they would be roomies at the MTC. Their last names both started with "P" which means that they may be more likely to be together. Might I mention that I have no idea how they go about assigning roommates so this is all conjecture. 

Gramps/Dad has a bunch of doctor's appointments this next week. When the doctors get done with him, he will be a new man. He will have good vision and hearing, that is for sure. We will let you know when that will all take place as we get times and dates.

May will be a busy month for our family. We have several birthdays, Mother's Day, two high school graduations, Matthew's sixth grade graduation and several programs. I think we will be hopping from one thing to another. How exciting it all is. We still have little Jens and Natalie, the babies of the family, and then we have all the grown-up grandkids and, of course, all the ones in between. I have so enjoyed being, and still do, your grandmother. I enjoy my family and I know that Gramps feels the same way. Every person is a joy to us.

Lots of love