Thoughts

Here are some thoughts that have been going through my head lately.

Doing hard things

Recently I have been on a reading streak.  I read a book entitled 'Do Hard Things' by Alex and Brett Harris.  I would recommend this book to any parent or teenager.  Or anyone at all for that matter.  The book is about how society is attempting to get youth to accept mediocrity.  About how teenagers used to WANT to work, how they were needed in society.

They explain how teenagers are not expected to do much of anything.  They are supposed goof off, date, drink, and have fun for a few years before the reality of adulthood takes it all away.  But what are the teenage years for?  To prepare to be an adult.

I wish I had understood this a little better a few years ago.  I feel like I wasted many my teen years.  I had jobs, but didn't use them effectively.  I also didn't try that hard in school.  There were so many lost opportunities.

But, nobody is perfect.  Alex and Brett make that clear.  But they do inspire their readers to try new things, try harder at some things, and to face the future with faith.  That is all anyone can do.  They challenge teens to learn and grow.

I have never understood how as teens we are supposed to "grow up."  I was 6 feet tall and 200 pounds in 7th grade.  I might have grown 2 inches since then, and put on maybe 40 pounds.  So I haven't grown much since I was a teenager.  But others don't stop growing until they reach their later teen years.  Do adults and other mean physically, or our ability to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to better adapt to our surroundings?

Books

I know I read a lot, but I've been reading a lot lately.  I have been reading the first 4 books of 5 book series by David G. Woolley about Nephi and Lehi leaving Jerusalem.  It's fascinating.  It's filled with fiction, but based on as much fact as possible.  Each book is at least 400 pages, and I read all 4 in June.

I also read October Sky this week.  It's an amazing story about how a teen, who wanted to build rockets, overcame seemingly impossible odds.  There are some parts that should not be discussed in there, but overall the story was amazing.  It's also a very popular movie.