The Light Bulb is On

e-piph-a-ny
a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight
into the reality or essential meaning of 
something


This week, I had an epiphany, or as Oprah would say, an 'aha' moment. It didn't really happen all at once. I'd had several days of reading and hearing things that came together like one beautiful puzzle.  The pieces fell into place and I could suddenly see the whole picture. 
I know, I know, get on with it. Ok, here it is in a nutshell, or to be more exact, in a quote from C.S. Lewis. 

"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

I am a soul, or a spirit. And, as a spirit, I am eternal and glorious.  I was given a body to house that spirit, and, someday, my body will be as eternal and glorious as the celestial soul it encompasses. 

Now, wait. You may be thinking, 'Didn't you learn this in Primary?' Yes, I did. And, I have taught this truth many times to my children and to many Primary and Young Women classes.  I know it, but I didn't know it. 

Here's what happened.  

I've been pondering body image alot, because mine has always been so poor.  As a mom, I hate to see my children also developing these inferior feelings.  So, I've been hoping to figure out a way to feel better about my clearly imperfect temple. In answer to these unuttered prayers, I was sent several different sources which helped me understand.  

If Satan had a 'hit list' of the things he attacks, we could agree that the family is at the top. Well, I believe that our bodies run a close second.  Why? A couple reasons. 

First- he doesn't have one.  He's quite the jealous type, you know.  Our bodies are something he will NEVER have.  Man, that has got to tick him off. And, if you can't have something, and you're basically a hot-head, you don't want those who do have that something to enjoy it. You'd like nothing more than for them to dislike or even despise it.  You'd want them to think badly about it, to abuse it, to put it down and try all kinds of drastic means to change it.  You'd use drugs, alcohol, sex, tattoos, piercings, plastic surgery, food and peer 
pressure to get people to destroy their temples. And, if you have the media to help you, all the better.

Second- our bodies have power.  We have the power to create. We can create art and literature, buildings, technology, really, the possibilities are endless.  Most importantly, we can create life. Living, breathing human temples to house more glorious spirits. And, through that, we create families. Which brings us right back to number one on his hit list.  He can't create anything, except turmoil, which doesn't really count.  

I am a soul. I have a body. I am choosing to love this body, faults and all. I pledge to care for it and give it the respect it deserves.  It may not be glorious, yet, but it has the potential and the promise that someday it will be.