All the money in the world wouldn't make me want to go back.

I was just saying to my husband last night that all the money in the world wouldn't make me want to go back to being a teenager. It is such a hard time. There are some things that I think could have been handled differently. But if I went back and changed them it would make me a different person today. I kind of like who I am today, so in reality, I wouldn't really want to change anything.

In my church I currently teach the Young Woman group. It is an awesome group and it is so fun to try to relate to them. So full of energy and life. So full of possibilities and joy. Even though it has only been a few months, I have really been able to get into the calling, and just really enjoy it.

After church today the reality of what these young women are faced with every day really hit home. Let's back up a bit to a few months ago when a mother of a girl in my class had a baby. Due to complications, 4 weeks after the baby was born the mother died. I was heart broken for the family. Even for the young 15 year old girl that was now facing life without her mother. I didn't know the family very well since I am new to the neighborhood, but I just couldn't shake my feelings of sorrow for this girl in my class. How hard would it be to be her age and loose her mother?

Today at church I found out that another girl that is in my class (she just turned 16) lost her 17 year old brother on Thursday. Unfortunately he committed suicide, so this was no ordinary circumstance. One that is hard to find comfort in I am sure. When signing a card for her I just didn't know what to say. I am sure that there isn't anything at this point that is going to make the pain any less, that is going to answer all the questions, that will make it seem like it will be ok. All I could think of to say was that the Lord is watching over her, and that there are people, including myself to be there for her no matter what it was that she needed.

I came home flooded with emotions and thoughts of the trials that the girls in my class are faced with every day. Not only is the world getting tougher to live in and getting harder to stay on the straight and narrow path, but these girls are faced with the loss of dear loved ones. They aren't only going through life with the same trials as all young kids, but they are doing it with a sorrowful heart. I can't imagine how I would do it. I want to get close to these girls, and be able to relate to them. But how, when I have no idea how they feel?

I wish that you could shelter kids, and even young adults from painful things in the world. It never gets easy to deal with, but when so young, it seems that it would be much harder. I wish the very best for the two young girls in my class and all those around that have been effected. I hope in time that they, and even myself, will find comfort and know how to be able to deal with pain, sorrow and loss. I guess my words were meant for me too. The Lord is watching over all of us.