My Mormon Third Eye: I See... the Joys of Living Vicariously

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I See... the Joys of Living Vicariously

God blesses all of us with various gifts. These gifts have a purpose. They are meant to enrich our own lives as we share them with others. Keeping them hidden under a bushel denies others of the light that shines from our gifts.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you are already aware of how naturally funny I am. What you may not know, however, is that I've been keeping another wonderful gift hidden from mankind (besides my innate humility). I'm ready, however, to break the silence and reveal that I have been blessed with the remarkable gift of living vicariously.

What is living vicariously? It refers to the mysterious, yet wonderful ability to enjoy the successes and blessings of others without the pain and effort required to earn them. When I view other families' pictures of their Disneyworld vacation, I don't grumble and wish I was there- I feel the joy and excitement that they felt throttling through Space Mountain or eating breakfast with a larger-than-life mouse. When someone drives into the church parking lot in a flashy new car, I can feel the pride of new car ownership swelling deep inside of me, and sense the comfort that a dashboard DVD player and heated seats would provide me. The greatest blessing is that I get to feel the joy without experiencing the pain. I don't have to deal with credit cards bills and car payments.

Making the best of my rare gift to live vicariously has brought me unspeakable (but not “un-writable”) joy. With very little effort, usually involving reading the biographies of great men and women or listening intently to riveting pre- and post- sacrament meeting chit-chat, I have been able to

run marathons;
conquer Tang China and Lamanite armies;
work in Ronald Reagan's cabinet;
hike and bike through Utah and Idaho wilderness panoramas;
wonder in heavenly awe as very young children negotiate their first upright steps;
and much, much more.

Living vicariously permits the poor to be rich, the ugly to be beautiful, the stupid to be smart, and the awkward to be talented, all without the required sacrifice, effort, or natural gifts. It puts me in the same league with everyone else.

Don't hate me for my gift- just talk to me about your new house or your son's game-winning touchdown pass. Don't deny me my happiness.

I've been told that living vicariously is a Christ-like gift. I haven't said much about the flip-side of living vicariously- feeling others' sorrows and pains, but without actually having done the deeds that authored them. Only one man has that gift- our Savior and Redeemer. I've been told that because he took upon himself our sins and pains and sorrow, he has walked through our darkest hours with us, and knows how to completely and perfectly comfort us.

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The Mormon Third Eye Quote of the Week

"As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Priesthood Session Conference, October 2012

Why My Mormon Third Eye?

When I politely excused myself in the middle of dinner to make a bathroom stop, how did Mom know that I had uneaten peas in my pocket to flush down the toilet? When I came home late from a youth dance and slid quietly into bed to avoid waking parental units, how did Dad know, without looking at the car, that I smashed in the front bumper? When I watch my daughter play a video game, how do I know that she's not ready for her Geometry final?

Its the Third Eye. The notorious eye in the back of the head, the extra view of life that God blesses parents striving to do the right thing so they can see more of life than the children they chase after.

Our third eye also permits us to see things and feel emotions that are too refined, too far on the edge of our standard two-eyed peripheral vision to enjoy in its fullness. I've learned that I have a Mormon Third Eye; that is, as a life-long, fully-dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have unique perspective on how the doctrines of the gospel and the demands of my faith in them intersect every other part of my mortal existence to create the entertaining, self-deprecating kaleidoscope of my life.

So... for those of you bold and bored enough to read this far, every so often I'll be sharing here what my Mormon third eye sees. Third eyes are relatively huge; they see the humorous, the entertaining, the embarrassing, the beautiful, the inspirational, and even the moral and political; however, they tend to ignore the evil, depressing and destructive: there is enough of that in world already!

The Four Secrets to Successful Living

Always Go Where There is Free Food - This includes ward and work parties, wedding receptions and missionary open houses; the money you spend to buy the ingredients for the world-famous triple chocolate cake you bring doesn’t count.
Never Pay Full Price for Anything – See my posts on Black Friday escapades for more information on this.
Never, Ever Press the Red Button - Usually, if you are faced with a red button somewhere, don’t press it – it usually means trouble. For example, the red button launches the missiles. Do yourself a favor and don’t press it.
Any Problem You Face Can Be Solved With Bungee Cords and Duct Tape - Bungee cord and duct tape technology has saved many marriages and ward parties. I’m not just talking about problems with plumbing or keeping groceries from bouncing around the trunk; I know of relationship and family issues that have been solved with creative applications of these two substances.