Finding Joy in the Journey

By Jennifer Debenham

As a girl, one of my favorite movies was "Summer Magic," starring Hayley Mills. In one memorable scene, the main character, Nancy, is bustling about preparing a garden party that her spoiled older cousin, Julia, was supposed to be helping her with, but Julia is nowhere to be found. By the time the party begins, Nancy is exhausted. Then Julia enters, looking the picture of relaxation in a beautiful dress and perfectly coiffed hair. Nancy expresses her frustration that Julia has not helped with the preparations of the party, and her cousin just smiles and tells her she should go get a lemonade because she looks flustered and tired.

Often when I have had a crazy-busy day (or week or month) I find myself thinking of that scene and how MUCH I can relate to Nancy--especially as the mother of teenagers who seem quite adept at portraying the Julia character in any given situation.

It occurs to me that the garden party is a lot like life. Don't we all get a little burdened with all the details? All the responsibilities?

The other day, as I was preparing to teach a Relief Society lesson, I came across a talk by President Monson, from October, 2008, entitled "Finding Joy in the Journey." It is a great reminder about what is really important in life, and it was the perfect message for me during my busy week. You can read it here.