From a conversation with my spouse earlier this week:

Life is not as big a deal as we make it out to be. As we struggle to understand doctrine, argue over Priesthood and the Church, attend all our meetings and tick service assignments of our lists, as we delve deep into symbolism, and worry about sealings and keeping our families active…. Our time here is not really about that.

What about the millions who die because of freak accidents or violence? What about the continual arguments over science and nutrition and being green, over saving the race and the planet?

I think, more and more, that life is about being here. About having a chance to exist in time and space apart from our gods. If we happen to find Them while being here, then sweeter the experience. If we happen to make others’ existences a little more peaceful or happy, then sweeter the experience.

I think the “eternal perspective” we should be keeping is not, “One day I’ll be happy and with all my loved ones again,” but rather, “This time is a chance for me to experience something totally different and foreign. A baptism of fire into coping as a spiritual-physical entity. And one day I’ll work all this out. Until then, I’ll have faith.”