Adjust the Sails

In his talk, Turn to the Lord, Bishop W. Christopher Waddell said something that sounded rather familiar:

In this mortal experience, we cannot control all that happens to us, but we have absolute control over how we respond to the changes in our lives.

This quote reminded me of the several similar quotes about wind and sails, the basic idea being that, no matter what winds are blowing, we can adjust our sails accordingly to keep heading toward our destination. The direction of the wind is irrelevant. Favorable winds may get us there faster, but we don't really need them, and unfavorable winds can't stop us; they can only slow us down. As Bishop Waddell said, "No amount of change, trial, or opposition can alter [our] eternal course—only our choices, as we exercise our agency." Life may not go the way we want it to go, but we get to choose what we make of it.