ANOTHER FIRST!

Yes, I am so pleased to announce that a new first is in my near future! Thanksgiving has come and gone for 31 years for me, now, and I have never actually made my own Thanksgiving dinner. I have helped my mom plenty of times, but never on my own. But in just over a week I will wake up early, stuff a large, dead bird with dried bread, celery, and spices, and place it in the oven. I will boil potatoes, make homemade gravy (yikes!), and help my friend Sharon with whatever it is she is bringing to contribute to the dinner. In short, Thanksgiving is at my humble home (truly humble!) for the first time! I feel as though I have finally achieved adulthood, and I'm thrilled! Now I just have to get through this week of papers and quizzes, and I'm on my way!

One other quick first to announce. I drove in Boston today - and during morning rush hour, to boot! And not a single ding or honked horn. I'm a natural.

So, I thought, as my first semester in graduate school is coming to a close, I would share some of the wisdom I have gained over the last few months. I may use this stuff for a future Sacrament Meeting talk - and I give you permission to do the same. Some of the wisdom is funny, some more didactic and serious, but all of it is true.

1. Wild turkeys still inhabit New England, and roam without a thought for their soon-to-be roasted, domestic brothers on the other side of the fence.
2. Utahns, and even Mormons, do not have a corner on being good Samaritans. People are good everywhere, even if they get a bad reputation from outsiders who don't know what the heck they're talking about. As annoying as tourists with their nose in a map must be, Bostonians are more than happy to stop and give you directions, trust you to come back and pay for your haircut if you didn't bring a check book, and slow down for you to walk across the street.
3. It's really hard to go after your dream! I used to watch my friend Nathan struggle and feel discouraged, and wondered if he wasn't possibly foolish for going after it. But he is now on the way up (I really do think you'll one day see one of his musicals, possibly even on Broadway), and, in his words, "There's nothing quite so hard, but there's also nothing nearly as rewarding."
4. Sometimes part of the hurt is the inability to share it with anyone, because there is no possible way that they can understand it - it's so complex. But the Savior does, and He can help. And it does get better.
5. If you are truly engaged in becoming a real disciple of Christ, there will be anguish of soul, moments of despair, and realizations of personal traits that you wish you could just get rid of. But, combining the previous two points, there will also be exhilaration, triumph, and plenty of help from the Savior to become His heir. "There must be opposition in all things."
6. Thomas Edison was right on: Genius is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration. The trick is getting engaged enough to really perspire - and to continue perspiring, even when you just want to lie down and give up for a minute. That's really hard, and that's why so few achieve it!
7. Finally, the 94 bus will take you all the way to Davis Square, but it is very unpredictable. If you miss it, the 80 bus will take you 3/4 the way to Davis Square. Your options are to go back home, out of the rain, and try again for the 94 (but probably miss the train you need to take), wait in the rain for the 94 (still missing the train), or take the 80, and walk a few minutes. Really, if you're willing to walk a few extra minutes, the 80 bus is less crowded, and you might find you even enjoy the walk! How like life!

Well, there ya go. I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. May we all be aware of how truly blessed we are!