When loved ones suffer....

One of the hardest things for me is to witness someone I love suffer. Whether the suffering be physical, emotional or spiritual, it just breaks my heart not to be able to take away some of the pain. If something happens to one of my little brothers that causes them anguish, it hurts me almost as much as it does them. I remember when Akilesh was about three years old. He fell from the swing and it came back and the seat- a thick piece of wood- hit him in the head, causing a deep gash in his head. We rushed him to the hospital, and I went into the emergency room with him. When the nurse inserted a needle with the anesthetic right into the wound, the poor child screamed. I couldn't take it; I left the room. To this day, I can't bear it when something happens to my babies. Now it's not physical wounds so much as emotional ones that they suffer. This kind is not any easier for me to witness, knowing how much anguish there is in being rejected by those with whom you would like to be friends, for example. The hardest part, for me, is that no matter how much I empathize, I cannot take the pain away and the person, ultimately, has to carry the load himself.

Right now someone whom I love very much is going through a very difficult time. It does not matter that this person in some measure created her own misery. The fact is that now she cannot escape the pain (or rather feels that she cannot). And I am helpless.... Other than offering a sympathetic ear and words of comfort and encouragement, I cannot do much. And that is hard for me.

How I wish everyone knew about and understood correctly the Atonement of Jesus Christ! I have had heartbreaks before. I have sinned and suffered the consequences of my choices. I have had trials that I thought would break me.

In all these situations, I knew that, if I turned to my Savior, I would find peace. And I did. It has never failed. In the case of sin, I have had to suffer the sorrow of knowing I had caused pain to my Father and to my Savior. In the case of trials, relief has sometimes come only after much pleading and patience. But when I truly turned to the Lord, He always gave me the strength to weather the storm, always granted me peace in the midst of the tempest. It is that peace that I would like my loved one to find at this time. Even if I cannot take away her pain, Someone has already borne it, and there is relief available.... If only she would give it a chance.

Campus in all its glory!

Here are some more photos of the campus. It is a little yellow right now because this area has not received as much rain this summer as usual, but it's still very green!

Faculty Row- housing for faculty

The Deanery- Dean's house

Le Bistro and laundromat

Lake

Boathouse

View of dining hall

Library

Academic buildings hiding behind hedge

Dorms

Chapel

Soccer fields

And finally.... here's a photo of my babies asleep on their pillow under my desk right this second (and Vinny snoring, of course!):