Plato (not Play-doh)

 “The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.”  

I chose to begin with this quote from the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (1978) because this and other posts may refer to some philosophers and historical thinkers who have profoundly influenced the way I think, so I agree with this statement.

            As we studied classical philosophy in my Interdisciplinary Humanities class, I found Plato’s Theory of Forms particularly intriguing.  He conceived that forms, or the idea of objects, exist in a perfect, eternal realm of our thoughts, while the tangible world is simply filled with physical examples of these forms.  The reality of our world is an illusion—a world of shadows permitting occasional glimpses of eternity. We already possess the knowledge of these eternal forms but have forgotten, so as we study objects in the sensory world, we uncover the true nature of their forms; in other words, knowledge is a recollection of the truth.  The Greek word to describe this process is anamnesia, “an-“ meaning “un-“ and “amnesia” meaning “forgetting.” Unforgetting. 

Ok.  So what did any of that even mean?

The clarifying moment for me came when I learned that in the original Greek translation of the New Testament, the Greek word Jesus uses at the Last Supper when he commands His apostles to partake of the sacrament “in remembrance” of Him is anamnesia.  Essentially, He commands them to “un-forget” Him.  I interpreted this new definition two ways. 

In one sense, while we tend to remember Christ at church on Sunday, as the week progresses we become distracted by daily interests—school, work, health, relationships, the internet, sports, whatever else fills our time—until keeping Him at the center of our lives becomes less of a priority or maybe even forgotten.  As we return to church the next Sunday and partake of the sacrament, we are invited to “un-forget” Him once again. 

The other implication of the word relates more to Plato’s original theory. It makes perfect sense to me that we were taught everything about God and His plan before we came to Earth, so that as we study the world around us and encounter spiritual experiences, we uncover, or remember, truths that we already knew.  Have you ever learned something that just made sense, like that had always been the case and just never occurred to you until someone else brought it to your attention, and when they did you thought, “Oh, I knew that”?  Maybe this doesn’t make any sense or you’ve never had such an experience, but for me, the word anamnesia describes a familiar feeling, something I have felt many times in church or in classes at school or while reading or even during movies. 

This leads me to agree with the other part of Plato’s theory—that our world is only a weak reflection of the eternal world, allowing occasional glimpses of that world.  I personally believe that beautiful art and scenes in nature offer some of these glimpses, as well as personal study.  Michelangelo himself said, “The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”  I also think these glimpses can be seen in people.  The world is filled with terrible things, perhaps more than ever before, but I don’t think God would allow one extreme without the other; with greater capacity for evil, there is also a greater potential to do good.  We are all born with the light of Christ, and through the same process of anamnesia, we see flashes of this light in acts of compassion or charity or great accomplishments.  

I believe that we can put ourselves in a position to increase the likeliness of these glimpses of eternal glory to create our own heaven on earth.   How can we put ourselves in this position?

Seek learning.  In school, outside of school, and every day, hunger for knowledge.  Go beyond the bare minimum required by your classes or your current position.  Study God’s creations, people, personalities, governments, religion, how things work.  Seeking to enlighten your mind and spirit allows you to better understand the nature of God and his plan.  Even just the act of searching demonstrates your true desire to know more, so that He will reveal more to you. 

“For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more” (2 Nephi 28:30).

This goes hand in hand with obedience.  Do what the Lord asks of you, repent when you don’t, and He will bless you with wisdom. However, with greater knowledge comes greater responsibility and more is expected of us. This may sound scary, but greater responsibility also comes with the potential for far greater blessings like, I don’t know, say, eternal life? Exaltation? Eternal happiness? 

Worth it?

Uhm, hecks yeah!

Remember that no matter how strong the temptation, our spirits can always overpower and control our bodies. Does your body control your spirit or does your spirit control your body?

Seek beauty.  Surround yourself with beauty.  Take the time to recognize and appreciate the beauty of the world around you.  Elder Douglas L. Callister said, "The nearer we get to God, the more easily our spirits are touched by refined and beautiful things." Michelangelo looked at it the opposite way, that experiencing worldly beauty and love sparks a yearning for eternal beauty, as expressed in this sonnet he wrote:

Segment of a sonnet ca. (1546-7)

            A violent burning for prodigious beauty

is not always a source of harsh and deadly sin,

if then the heart is left so melted by it

that a divine dart can penetrate it quickly.

            Far from hindering empty passion from flying higher,

love stirs and wakes us, and feathers our wings;

and from that first step, with which it’s not satisfied,

the soul can mount up and rise to its creator.

Sometimes I’m in a rush to get home or grumpy from the day and suddenly I’m caught off guard by a gorgeous sunset, fuchsia and orange rays peeking out from behind illuminated, fluffy clouds onto painted mountains.  In those moments, I feel undeniably that these scenes are reflections of what heaven will be like.  The vividness of the colors and inexplicable effect of the light on the clouds is impossible to duplicate.  No photograph or painting can capture exactly that image and feeling, but they try, and I believe as Michelangelo did that God does have a hand in true art.

The Ancient Greeks entertained this idea as well.  They believed that each artist was a vessel for a divine helper called a Damon, who inspired and assisted them.  The Romans called it a Genius.  I recently listened to a TED Talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, wherein she discussed the ancient East African tradition of sacred night dancing.  Every so often, one dancer would be transformed into something more than themselves, delivering an extraordinary performance.  The others who watched would chant, “Allah! Allah! Allah!” or “God! God! God!” Later when the Moors invaded Spain, they continued this custom, but the phrase changed to “Olay! Olay! Olay!” which they still shout today at bull fights or flamenco dances when a performer appears to supersede human ability.  Gilbert continued to share stories of modern artists who have acknowledged a divine presence who inspires their creativity.  I feel that this contributes to why a song can make us cry or why a sculpture or painting or poem can evoke certain emotions.  Heavenly Father assists these artists in creating images and sounds that conjure familiar feelings, or perhaps memories, of Heaven.  

Countless studies have shown that music in particular can directly affect our emotions and possibly even behaviors. 

“The universal language of music has the ability to lift people to their feet and also to greater heights in their lives.  Spirituality can be enhanced, physical abilities can be magnified, and emotions can be tempered through music. The Lord has always recognized its power” (Randy and Susan Booth, “Do You Hear What I Hear?”).

He recognizes and uses that power for good!  By surrounding ourselves with beauty, we can create an environment where we are more likely to feel the Spirit and just feel good.  Our own homes, wherever they are, can become beautiful refuges from the world.   Everyone made fun of me when I brought home a five dollar thrift store painting of a beautiful coast with docks and sailboats and terraced houses, but I liked it, and it still makes me happy as it hangs my bedroom.  I also love my unique (and cheap—beauty doesn’t have to be expensive) thrift store vases filled with fake flowers. These physical touches of beauty as well as the absence of contention and when my apartment is clean make my home a sanctuary for me.

 I’m not saying ignore the ugly issues in the world or only surround yourself with physically beautiful people, but I don’t see anything wrong with uplifting ourselves through the beautiful creations of man and God.  Walk through an art museum! Attend a concert! See a play! Read a book! Go on a hike! Take the time occasionally to break away from your mundane schedule and be edified.  This—these moments, grant us a taste of heaven on earth.

Create Beauty. If you are endowed with creative talents, use ‘em!  I’ll admit I’m a bit of a hypocrite on the subject, but I’m working on this as well.  Sharing talents can be scary! We fear that people will judge us, that we’re not very good or just showing off.  I used to be terrified of singing or playing piano in front of people, even letting anyone read my writing.  I’m not sure what exact moment marked the turning point—perhaps I had a divine helper—but my surge of confidence was greatly influenced by the discovery of this quote:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

—Mariannne Williamson

Dang.  Need I say more? This quote hit me harder than any other ever has (which is saying a great deal since I have an entire journal filled with quotes).  And she’s right; what is there to lose by sharing our talents??

Pride? Maybe. 

And is that such a bad thing? I can’t think of anything more humbling than giving of our best—our talents—to serve those around us.  Aside from the emotional catharsis that comes with creativity, the creator reaps so many other blessings.  I experienced many of these blessings when I co-wrote our Girls’ Camp Song about a year and a half ago.  The experience was truly humbling as we considered the needs of the girls in our Stake and what message they needed most to hear, relying on the Lord so that each word of the lyrics served its purpose and conveyed that message.  I testify that we felt the hand of God in every word, every note.  I cannot accurately express the feelings of overwhelming love and gratitude I felt hearing two-hundred teenage girls sing my song, many weeping, and as I received several thank-you notes describing the profound effect the song had had on individual lives. 

I have even heard that if we expect to become like Gods, shouldn’t we cultivate creativity and practice now with inanimate mediums?  Whatever your medium—paints, words, sounds, wood, foods, film, dancing, architecture, graphic design, etch-a-sketches, whatever—take advantage of the uniquely human ability to be creative.

I would also argue that any act of kindness or service adds beauty to the world.  Another favorite quote of mine is “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity” (Horace Mann).

“…victory for humanity” is a pretty hefty challenge, but I would consider “humanity” to be anyone within our realm of influence.  When I die, I want to know that my life positively impacted at least one person. If we can make someone’s day better simply because of our presence, we have contributed to the beauty of the world, to restoring hope in humanity. 

So smile! Get over your own fears and reach out to someone who needs a friend.  Call a friend who’s going through a rough patch.  Write a sweet note.  Give a genuine compliment.  The paradox of this whole service thing is that when you stop thinking of yourself, you benefit the most.

Conclusion  I have no idea how Plato’s Theory of Forms ended up with a discussion on service.  I suppose the idea of bettering oneself and the world is always the common theme of my philosophies on life.  So let’s retrace the connection:

Plato’s Theory of Forms basically said that knowledge is a process of un-forgetting eternal truths that we already knew, which is very similar to the Christian belief that we learned about God’s plan as spirits before we came to earth and so again, knowledge is a recollection of eternal truths that we already knew.  I believe that as we seek to gain more knowledge about the eternal nature of God and the heavens, we can model our lives after this.  We can gain this knowledge as we seek learning, seek beauty, and create beauty.

If you followed all of my thoughts, you are a brave and studious soul and I applaud you.  If not, by this point I’m a little lost myself.  My only hope is that this made you think, or perhaps rethink.  I also recommend this talk from Elder Callister in 1959 that I discovered after I wrote this which expresses nearly identical ideas. http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=1964

Peace and blessings!

Thanksgiving Miracles

“It’s a Christmas Miracle! No, wait, a Thanksgiving Miracle!”

my roommate Macie exclaimed excitedly as she twirled on the steps leading from the Harris Fine Arts Center, earning peculiar looks from the Utahns around us.  But I wasn’t ashamed by this spectacle.  I was just as enchanted.  

Macie and I had just spent our Friday evening watching Irving Berlin’s musical White Christmas, directed (and required to see) by my theater teacher.  She came along as my date, and I was actually secretly relieved to be with her and not a boy so I could voice my opinions about which chorus boy was the cutest and which 1950’s-inspired styles we should adopt and wishing there were an occasion to wear a huge, sparkly Christmas dress, all reciprocated with similar sentiments and zero judging.  After the finale, featuring REAL bubble snow, we filed out of the theater giddy with the kind of joy only old-fashioned musicals and holiday anticipation can bring.

As we reached the main floor of the fine arts building, a hushed wave came over the room.  Through the glass doors, the world that required a light sweater had been transformed into a winter wonderland.  We tentatively crossed into this alternate universe, fat slushy snowflakes drifting onto our hair and eyelashes.  Blanketed in white down against a glowing sky, with lamp posts illuminating unearthly orbs of snowfall, the campus was one of the most beautiful pictures I’ve ever seen.  Our moment of awe was shattered by a sudden urge to thrust our heads back and stick out our tongues, dancing and squealing gleefully. 

“It’s like Disneyland at Christmastime!” I remarked intelligently.

Only Californians would compare real snow to fake Disneyland snow as opposed to the other way around.

We giggled all the way to the car, unaffected by the patronizing glances of the natives who scuttled past us in embarrassment, their eyes probing, “Sheesh, kid, haven’t you ever seen snow before?” We invented a hilarious game of trying to roll down the snow-caked windows without letting the walls of snow collapse into the car. 

You too may be laughing at the antics of snow-deprived California kids, and I’m sure the novelty will wear off for us as well, but in that magic moment, we recognized a Thanksgiving miracle.  Evidence that a loving Heavenly Father is aware of us and blesses us in unexpected ways, allowing us to see the beauty in what we had dreaded. I began to consider other miracles in my life—a girl at work offered to cover my shift so that I can go home for Thanksgiving and be with my family.  IHOP is open all night for those moments when my roommates and I crave chocolate chip pancakes at 3:00 AM.  TED Talks are free.  It is finally socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music.  The State of California actually responded to my persuasive letter.  I stayed awake through all of my meetings in church today. I had a fantastic Sunday lunch of chocolate-chip waffles with strawberries and caramel syrup.  I have a job. I have made new friends who make me feel good.  I get to reunite with old friends soon. I have been blessed with unique talents and abilities.  I have an able mind and body and the opportunity to expand my knowledge at an incredible university.  I have the best roommates I could ever ask for who have become my best friends and sisters.  I have a knowledge of my Savior Jesus Christ and his infinite Atonement and love for me. 

Yeah, I’d say I’m pretty blessed. Ridiculously blessed.  I don’t know why I am deserving of so many amazing blessings and regret that sometimes I take them for granted.  Recognizing these blessings and using them in turn to bless the lives of others is a lifelong goal and struggle for me.

During this season of thanksgiving, I challenge you to establish a habit of recognizing and expressing gratitude for the blessings in your life.  Think of it as a Thanksgiving Resolution.  In his talk “O Remember, Remember,” President Henry B. Eyring counsels us to ponder daily the question, “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch [me]…or [my] family today?” He recounts, “As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.” I know from my own experience that when I am able to identify the blessings I have received, I have much less, if anything, to complain about and am more content with my current circumstances. 

In the immortal words of Irving Berlin, “When you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.”

Vitamins on an Empty Stomach

                So one morning as I waited impatiently (well, hungrily, to be more accurate) for my bagel to toast, I discovered a massive bottle of daily multivitamins in one of the kitchen cupboards.  I thought to myself, “Self, as a college student living on limited funds from your stupid minimum-wage job (okay, so the job isn’t stupid, but really Utah? $7.25 an hour?), you most likely aren’t getting all of the nutrients your body needs to be healthy, so why not bulk up, eh?”  I popped the enormous gnarly gray pill in my mouth with a swig of water, then proceeded to spread cream cheese onto my bagel, quite satisfied with myself and this “healthy” decision. Not five minutes later, I sat doubled over on the kitchen floor, too nauseous to even enjoy my bagel (you KNOW something is wrong when Kaylie doesn’t want a bagel).  After throwing up water and stomach acid into the sink (don’t worry, it was the garbage disposal side) and dry heaving painfully (I apologize for this graphic description of the experience and promise this is the extent of it), I pondered the cause of this sudden wave of sickness.  Are my bagels too old? They are kind of flaky and dry, but can old bagels even make you sick? They’re not moldy.  Old cream cheese, perhaps?  I hoped not because cream cheese is expensive.  Then it hit me. Vitamin on an empty stomach! Thank you very much Vitamin, you were supposed to be good for me! And then came the secondary thought of, “Hey, ‘Don’t take vitamins on an empty stomach’. That sounds like some kind of profound axiom of life!”

                Throughout the rest of the morning until my hour-long break between classes, I considered what this could be an analogy for.  The most applicable one I decided on was, “We can’t expect help if we’re not prepared to receive it.” Vitamins are supposed to fortify what you already have, but if you have nothing, they can do the opposite, even make you sick.  Just like if you don’t start with a foundation of knowledge and receive greater knowledge, the phrase “too much information” may apply.  Or in another instance, you cannot ask a professor for help with a paper if you haven’t even started it. They seek to critique and help you improve what’s already written, not put ideas in your head or write the paper for you.  Don’t ask for advice or feedback if you are not prepared to handle criticism. Likewise, don’t ask the Lord for guidance if you are not willing to work and to change. For example, if you want help on a test, study on your own first, then ask; Heavenly Father helps you recall what you have already learned, not suddenly regurgitate an encyclopedia.  
The analogy became even more poignant as it was pointed out to me that just as we have to eat again eventually after we are full from one meal, so must we continue to partake of "the Bread of Life," "the Everlasting Fruit," or "the Living Water," whichever you'd prefer, consistently to be sustained and nourished.  This is what I mean by having a full stomach.  If we do our part by coming unto Christ, studying his words and the scriptures, sincerely praying, and striving to uplift ourselves and serve, Christ will come the rest of the way and provide that vitamin of extra strength to accomplish things that we couldn't possibly do on our own. 
My roommate Emily (majoring in Nursing and currently taking a nutrition class) might go off on some tangent about the dangers of vitamin poisoning, and you may interpret this in relation to my analogy however you’d like, but let’s stick with mine for now; basically my advice to myself and anyone who trusts my judgment is to do your part first if you want help.  I’m sorry if you’re disappointed by the lengthy lead-up to this cliché summation, but fa’reals guys. True doctrine.

What's In A Name?

                I chose to name this blog The Etch-A-Sketch of Life because it holds a few different meanings for me.  The inspiration behind the name came from a dear friend of mine who once said, “Life is like an Etch-a-Sketch; if you don’t like the picture, shake things up and start again!”  While I thought it was cute and witty, the truth of this didn’t hit me for a few years.  I love spontaneity,  but only on my own terms.  My comfort zone lies in following routines and being in control of things.  I wouldn’t say I’m a control freak, but when given the option, I prefer to be in charge of what lies within my jurisdiction —in charge of the music, the air-conditioning, the conversation, my schedule, even driving.  I think that’s why I’m so terrified of drugs and hypnotists; I hate the idea of not being in control of myself, which is also why change stresses me out.  Seriously, even getting a haircut is a major, stress-inducing change for me.  Yet so many times I’ve regretfully held back secret desires to do something drastic because of fear (like chop off all my hair in an adorable pixie cut! The temptation has presented itself many times).

                However, time and experience have led Change and I to make amends, and though I’m still resistant sometimes, we’re on the road to friendship.  The ability to look back now and see the bigger picture has helped me realize that some of the changes I thought were to punish me were actually the best things that could’ve happened to me.  Only now can I see that while I thought I was content before, really I didn’t like the picture and was just too afraid that I could ever create something better on my own.  So good old Change forced herself upon me until I had only one option—to move forward.  Change is the only way we can progress, whether by choice or by force.  Though these were some of the most difficult and lonely experiences of my life, by compelling me to erase aspects of my old self and start over, Change has fashioned me into a completely different person, and for the better I think.  One of the first times I actually initiated and welcomed a major change in my life was moving away for college.  While I love my family and friends and California, I wanted out; I knew I needed a change—a new environment, the opportunity to meet new people, a new job, and the chance to live on my own.  And you know what I’ve discovered? I love it!

                In his talk “Repentance and Change,” Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change.”  I truly believe that this is our purpose here on earth—to constantly recognize and embrace the need for change, to strive to improve ourselves daily, to let go of traits and habits and attitudes that tie us down, to become the kind of person who does and doesn’t do certain things, and ultimately, to become more like Christ as we allow him to change our hearts. Sometimes we are victims of our circumstances and cannot change our environment or what other people do, but we can change ourselves. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but we will be held accountable for at least making an effort to better ourselves.  Perfection isn’t a destination; it’s a direction.  

                So an Etch-a-Sketch for me represents the opportunity to evaluate and recreate myself each new morning.  It represents the power to make choices and shape my own future, as well as the challenge to take risks or try new things.  It also symbolizes the capacity for creativity and beauty.  You would be surprised how many legit Etch-a-Sketch artists are out there.  While I suppose this is really just an outlet for my own thoughts and opinions on whatever I want (I am more eloquent in writing than speaking), my hope for this blog is that if people choose to read it, it may bring them a chuckle or moment of contemplation.  So enjoy! Or not…in which case I welcome criticism and feedback.

                Also, I’m a quote person, so here are a couple of my favorites that I think go along well with what I’ve already said:

“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not why ships are built.”

““The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.”

—President Ezra Taft Benson