Spring is Blossoming

Hey did you know that my church wants me to get married? Yeah, apparently it is sort of important. If you watched General Conference this weekend you may have heard it mentioned a few times, that men my age should set aside singledom and get married. I feel like I have had a half dozen deep conversations with people, regarding my thoughts on the the topic of dating especially as a YSA in the Washington DC area. I honestly believe I could write a book about it (my friend Don actually did). After more than five years in the Colonial First Ward I feel like I have a pretty good grasp about what is going on. I have read any number of manifestos on other blogs, and I've probably touched on the subject a time or here on Pete Chat. When I got up this morning, among the thoughts I had (How have the Angels lost three games in a row thanks to the bull pen?, Do I have anything to eat?, Is it really going to be 75 degrees today?) I thought about President Monson's talk during Priesthood session that I felt he may have been speaking to me in particular. That blog post is developing. But today I'll mention my Sunday morning activity.

Yesterday with the talk fresh in my mind a large group of the people who took particular notice of that counsel went to see the Cherry Blossoms in Bethesda, MD. I drove up with Joe, Dan, Heather, Julie and my copy of Rolling Stone. As we were driving I remarked that I enjoyed everyone very much who was in the car. I sense that for the most part the sentiment was shared by all.

Young Single Adults enjoying being Young Single Adults.

As I walked around the group, and tried to take a few candid pictures, I didn't sense any particular angst on the part of the people involved. They were enjoying the company of one another, eating baked good and otherwise basking in the sunny (although not particularly warm) Sunday morning. I picked a really inopportune time to have a bad hair day. I tried wearing a hat, but that may have made the situation worse. Nevertheless I wanted my time with the blossoms to be documented.

Hair was not cooperating.

We walked and chatted, and worked on developing meaningful relationships (mostly we gossiped, laughed, and took random pictures) and just had fun. I didn't feel lacking in any particular way, and felt generally ok about my life choices to this point.

Three of my favorites. Julie, Mary, Heather

If you asked me what we're doing in this picture, I'd answer, dominating.

We walked all over this neighborhood. I suppose by now the neighbors are all used to it, but I would find it strange to have so many visitors just wandering around. Some of the younger entrepreneurs had lemonade stands set up. I was all ready to make a purchase but the youngster could not break my twenty. One house was particularly welcoming. They set up chairs especially for Joe and I to stop a moment and consider the blossoms.

By the time it was all said and done we had enjoyed the blossoms, and the company and were home in time to be reminded again of the most important things in life.