HE LIKES ME

Not too long ago Kathleen and I were on one of our visits to the local big box store and we were uninvitedly made part of an interaction between two sisters. I would guess their ages to be 10 and 13. There was a brief tussle followed by this dialogue.

Older sister in a rough tone of voice: “You are so rough, that’s why nobody likes you.”

Dad interjecting very quickly to the younger sister: “I like you!”

Younger sister responding just as quickly: “Dad likes me and I like me.”

When I was young and on those occasion when I was exercising my right to self-pity my mother would recite the little ditty, which I grew to detest, (and now find myself repeating) “nobody loves me, everyone hates me, guess I’ll go eat worms.” I wish I had had the self-confidence of the big box store younger sister; as she went skipping down the aisle, I had the definite impression that that sallying sister would never feel like she needed to ‘go eat worms.’

As we continued on our shopping errand I couldn’t help but think that the argument of the younger sister could have been greatly augmented by also including her Heavenly Father as one who likes her. As the Apostle Paul said so long ago: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, UAdd a Note Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39)

As I ventured into the world of Face Book this last year the principle of being pro-active in relationships was amplified many times as I saw my ‘friends’ grow and grow and grow as they responded to my requests. It was wonderful to see the marvels of our age reconnect me with people who were significant in my life several decades ago. It was also wonderful to connect with those new ‘friends’ who would add humor, adventure and wisdom to my life. I had discovered another avenue which would leave me with no reason to be a worm eater and have abundant communications which indicated that there were ‘friends’ who liked me and whom I liked and made me like me just a little bit more. It also became overwhelmingly apparent how easy it was to end relationships. The clicking of the delete ‘X’ next to an unwanted ‘friend’ dramatically symbolized how easily relationships can be discontinued, or even worse, destroyed.

Not too long after the sister scene in the big box store, Kathleen and I were enjoying a football game in which one of our grandsons was playing. In spite of the repeated announcement over the speaker system in the stadium that all parents were to remain in the stands and not venture onto the field, there was one ‘PRIVILEDGED’ parent who thought that this announcement applied to everyone but HIM. As the game went on we watched the side show in which this man demonstrated HIS high level of obnoxiousness to the underpaid referee who ejected HIM from the field he wasn’t supposed to be on in the first place – next HE yelled HIS offenses to the coach of our grandson’s team who supposedly was HIS good friend who likewise reinforced the admonition to get off the field – finally upon retreating to the stands HE had a confrontation with a lady who suggested that HE wasn’t setting the best example for HIS two or three year old son, HE promptly quieted this well intentioned lady by telling her that if she didn’t shut up HE would be more than happy to shut her up – before His obnoxious behavior ended He had made sure that no one in the stadium liked Him including those embarrassed ‘friends’ who had come to the game with HIM. Looking at HIS sulking posture I have a suspicion that HE probably didn’t like himself very much either by the time the game finally ended. Amazingly, HIS little boy who stayed at HIS side during the whole ordeal still looked at his dad with eyes that expressed the unsaid words, “I like you.” There will always be someone! If the apostle Paul was right the little boy wasn’t alone on that night and any obnoxious nights which might follow.

We sometimes catch a glimpse that unlike the warlords of Face Book who evidently have the ability to completely eradicate any evidence of our existence on their site, or ourselves, having the power to delete our account on their site, none of us have the power in spite of all the ranting, rebelling and raunchiness we might do to drive away the love of our Heavenly Father. Although we would all qualify for the role of the prodigal and have spent our time in our own way eating with the pigs, we have the assurance that our Heavenly Father will always have his arms extended to receive us when we repentantly return.

I will be forever grateful for the unconditional love of Everlasting Beings, but I believe that the world I live in would undergo a needed and wonderful change this year if more of us stopped relying solely on the Eternal Love extended from our Heavenly Parents as the ‘like of last resort’ and tried a little harder to keep people on our ‘friends list’ and stopped doing those things which would result in a deletion.

Suggestions:

Attempt to become the person I would like to spend time with, by being more edifying, strengthening and building of others.

Strive to make relationships positive and progressive, by making sure my words are tempered with pleasantness.

Bring into this new year those parts of the old year which are good and praiseworthy, leaving behind those which brought pain and frustration.

Keep my life invigorated and energized by making sure I include meaningful events which are re-creative.

Demonstrate my gratefulness to the productiveness of my forefathers by dedicating myself to active production which will benefit my progeny.

Return the love which freely flows from Heavenly Father by walking on the path of happiness he has marked for his children.

Scriptures: Ephesians 2:4, 1 John 4:10, 16, 12, 7, 11, 20, 21, Deuteronomy 30:6, Deuteronomy 10:12, Romans 5:8, Doctrine and Covenants 112:11, Romans 13:9

WRITTEN BY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY