sacred simplicity of you at my side [Scripture Mastery Times: Genesis 2:24]

The night before Christmas Eve, my family came down to tour downtown Salt Lake with me. I had had the worst day ever at work and was not in the most sanguine mood. As we wandered Temple Square we passed the statue of Joseph and Emma that I can see from the office window and I informed my family, bitterly, "I call that the forever-alone bench. I sit there and stare at the statue and think about how I will never be happy."

There's the statue and the bench. (source)

It was so not true, guys. I have sat on that bench maybe twice in the two years I've worked here, and I don't sit there and think about how I will never have a love like Joseph and Emma. I mostly choose that bench because it's not usually very busy, even on nice days.

Not to say I don't sometimes wonder when I'll get married. I think most of my friends wonder that. It's so emphasized in our Church, and that emphasis is highlighted even more in this new scripture mastery verse that seminary students will learn:

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

There are a few reasons I can think of why this doctrine is being brought more to the forefront in our Church. With same-sex relationships becoming normalized in society, helping students learn the Lord's doctrine of marriage earlier is more important. Also if the expanded creation of mid-singles wards is any guide, young single adults aren't getting married nearly at the rate they could be.

I am not necessarily saying that if you're not married you don't have enough of a testimony of marriage, because I'm pretty sure that's not true. (Also that reminds me of something that happened a few weeks ago. I got in the elevator to leave work and someone in the elevator said, "Going home is the best part of the day." I smiled in agreement but abruptly stopped when she continued, "If you're living righteously and have someone to go home to." Thanks a lot.)

I even believe it'll happen for me, someday. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy the springtime sitting on that bench. By myself.