My Mormon Third Eye: I See... the Barbie Doll Perspective

Sunday, April 28, 2013

I See... the Barbie Doll Perspective

One Sunday morning, as sacrament meeting launched, I sat in my traditional pew towards the back and began my armchair psychoanalyzing of the families settled in in front of me. I found mild entertainment in letting my mind wander throughout the congregation and making ill-informed, snap judgments from my poor perspective.

Then I saw it. A few pews in front of me sat our ward YW president playing with a Barbie doll! I couldn’t believe it! I thought to myself, hmmm…. I know that I am fairly old to be a YM president approaching the end of my early 50’s, and our YW president is probably young enough to be my adult daughter, but is she really that young? Young enough to play with Barbie dolls during church? Doesn’t she know that others may be watching her? Does she even care? What will all the other young women think? I was stunned.

After being mesmerized by this fascinating drama playing out right in front of me for a few more minutes, I witnessed her casually turn to one side to help one of her children with a quiet toy. It was only then I noticed, from a much different angle now, that she actually held another preschool daughter hidden in her lap who was quietly playing with… a Barbie doll! It was the same Barbie doll I had mentally accused our YW president of playing with.

This episode prompted me to think deeper than usual during the rest of sacrament meeting about the importance of perspective. When we view situations from the wrong perspective, we are much more likely to draw faulty conclusions. Maintaining a partial Barbie doll perspective will certainly lead us down paths of jaded judgment strewn with incomplete information and littered with lies. All I needed to do is wait a few minutes to know who was really holding Barbie. Achieving true perspective of the whole story may require only a little patience and faith.

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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.