A week ago I was about to go for a walk and noticed my shadow. Look how long and skinny my legs look! I was struggling emotionally already and felt sad that the shadow was so far from accurate in its portrayal of who I am. My thoughts began to spiral a bit into “I wish I was tall and thin. I wish I was...(followed by a long list of things.). And then it occurred to me that just as the shadow was distorted, our earthly view of ourselves and others is as well. We truly see ourselves and others “through a glass, darkly” but if we can take the time to be quiet, to listen to the spirit, we can get a clearer and more accurate picture of who we are and who we are meant to be. I have plenty of failings and weaknesses—we all do—but we also have divinity within. We are sons and daughters of God. We have the potential for great goodness, light, love, faith, hope, wisdom, and charity within us. I am struck by what we learn in 2 Nephi 2. In verse 25 we read “men are that they might have joy” but then in verse 27, we read that the devil “seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” One way he tries to make us miserable is by distorting our view of ourselves and making us doubt our worth. But truly understanding who we are contributes to our feelings of joy. I think we all have days when the glass we see through seems even darker than normal, but I hope we can regularly invite the spirit to bear witness of who we truly are.
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