Pretend You're Camping

My family just got back from a camping trip yesterday. It was lots of fun. There was hiking, campfires, s'mores, and we even played a few games together. But every once in a while, something would go wrong, and we'd ward off negativity by reminding ourselves and each other to "pretend you're camping." I've thought about that phrase a little bit over the past few days, and I wonder if it might apply to life.

We all came from heaven, where everything is pretty much perfect. Perhaps, on some level, we remember what it was like, and there are certainly times in which we miss it. Sometimes, things go wrong in life, and we could get negative about it, or we could pretend we're on some kind of challenging and slightly unpleasant adventure, like camping. And in many ways, we are.

We left the perfectness of heaven for the imperfection of earth, partly to gain experience, partly to prove ourselves, partly just to get bodies and learn how to use them, but being on earth is only temporary. When it's over, we'll go back home, take showers, wash our clothes, and we'll be back in heaven again, where the beds are soft and warm, everything is fresh and clean, and there's nothing that we need or want that we don't have ready access to.

Earth life can be a challenge sometimes, and sometimes things go wrong. But we can stay positive by maintaining a good attitude. This camping trip isn't permanent, and it can be fun while it lasts. Life is nothing like heaven, but that's okay. Make peace with the imperfection of life and pretend that you're camping