When I was a young girl growing up I loved to watch the movie "Johnny Lingo." It's about a shrewd Polynesian trader who comes to one island to bargain for a girl to be his wife. Her name is Mahana and was considered ugly and undesirable by her neighbors and even her father. As Johnny Lingo negotiates with her father she is hiding in a hut so shy and scared while the village people make fun of her. Anyway, to make a long story short he ends up offering her father "eight cows" for her hand in marriage which was considered a very high price. The villagers didn't think he would show up with the cows but he brought all eight of the them and off he went with his Mahana who he had loved since childhood. Because of the way he treated her she became a very beautiful woman. I was sitting in church last week and these memories of this little movie that I had seen at least twenty times kept coming in to my mind. What we say and how we treat others can make a difference in their self worth. I know at times I compare my life to those around me and wonder what is wrong with me? Why don't I have what they have? Why don't I feel the same way as them? I was talking to a family member who I absolutely adore the other day. They are extremely disappointed and feeling like giving up on life. Oh how I've been there many times. As I was giving my little pep talk I was really talking to myself. I heard my Mother's words about how "everything will work out" and we have to "keep hoeing to the end of the row," "look at how bad the pioneers had it."I guess that just means we have to keep plugging along in life until we can finally see the big picture, eternity. I don't know why this little movie made such an impression on me, I guess I've always struggled with a lack of self esteem and this gave me hope that some day I would be able to realize that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who knows and loves me the way I am. That gives me hope.
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