relationships

In talking to a good friend of mine tonight, I was reminded of how complicated and imperfect relationships really are. There is no perfect relationship because there are no perfect people. Remember the days of yesteryear when a game of make believe included the perfect marriage...the thoughtful, handsome husband, the angelic, beautiful children, the gorgeous mansion and problem-free life? Good times...role-playing for a future for which many of us dreamed.

However, along with maturity and experience comes reality. Reality that life is not fair, was never intended to be fair and requires more work than originally imagined. But then again love is work....it's not something we are entitled to. In the worldwide leadership conference insert that came with this month's Ensign, I read a definition of love that has stuck with me....'Love is what we go through together.' Isn't that the truth? Love is not stagnant...it's constantly moving, progressing, evolving...it's scope is only limited to the effort we, ourselves, our willing to put forth. It's through our trials and experiences that we learn what love really is.

But isn't it great? What better way to strive to become more like our Heavenly Father than by learning more and more of love...not by definition, but by feeling and experiencing the work and incredible satisfaction and joy that comes from loving and being loved.

There are no perfect people but there are people that are perfect for each other. Imperfect relationships...yes, but perfect Love sees past that and helps one to cope with the imperfections and work past them. I'm grateful for a plan that is beautifully and wholly seen by an Omniscient Father, placing us here on earth for the sole purpose to learn to love and be loved. We really couldn't ask for more.