The Bare Necessities

The theme for Primary this year is "Choose The Right."  I have had a few different opportunities to visit wards and watch faithful primary teachers try to teach little children who are as young as 3 to make correct choices.  It has made me reflect upon my life and some of the experiences that stick out in my mind of learning about choosing the right.  One story that I have told my children over the years and now I have grandchildren to pass this life lesson on to is the first time I remember realizing the our choices DO have consequences.  So this experience I pass on to you little Hannah and Paige and hope that you can learn these "bare necessities"....

"The Jungle Book" came to theaters in October of 1967.  I was the ripe old age of 6!  I had seen it advertised and I had looked forward to seeing it.  One beautiful Saturday morning my Aunt Win & Uncle Stu called my mom and told her that they were planning on taking Ann to see JUNGLE BOOK and called to invite ME to go along!!  It is important that I explain a few things here.  First of all, you must understand, that things were very different when it came to watching movies is 1967.  When one wanted to see a movie you couldn't just go to a store or a "redbox" and pick up whatever you wanted to see.  Or you couldn't DVR it or stream it or go to your collection of Videos/DVD's or Blue-rays.  You actually had to see it in the theater!!!!!  If the movie had been out for years and if you were extremely lucky it just might come on television.  If you were lucky like I was, you might get to go to your grandparents house and actually see it in LIVING COLOR. Most the people I knew didn't have a color TV or even access to a color TV.  However, you must know, that the these special movies also were only broadcast about once a year.    How many of you remember waiting for an entire year to see "The Wizard of Oz" or "Oklahoma" only to find out it is being broadcast during your sacrament meeting time?  So, as you can see it was a big deal for me to get to go to the movies.  Another important part of this story is that I was the middle child of 6.  I had the benefit of always having someone to play with.  I also was blessed to have a family that liked to camp and go up the canyon and on different adventures...on a shoestring budget.  Ann on the other hand was basically raised as an only child. The next closest sibling to her was 10 years older and her oldest brother was off serving a mission about the time she was starting kindergarten. Between the two of us, we were blessed to live the best of both worlds.   When I was with Ann, I got to do things like go to the circus and have my own cotton candy, popcorn and drink. All three treats in one night,  and Ann was able to camp and sleep like a sardine with all of us together.  It was a perfect match.  To this day my sweet Uncle Stu who is now 94 asks me if I remember going on all the Equitable Insurance Company trips with him.  It was the life!  I got to see the World's Fair in Spokane Washington, and visit places I have always wanted to go back to, but haven't yet like Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Arizona and Vale, Colorado.   Ann was able to go skiing with our family every Saturday while my dad taught ski school and spent summers at Brighton in a tiny little cabin with 6 children, two parents a golden retriever and visits from Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, neighbors and friends.  My sister Karen who was 2 1/2 years older than I was was always really envious that she didn't have an Ann in her life.  To this day, I count Ann among my finest blessings!!

So, now back to Jungle Book.  It was a beautiful fall Saturday when the call came from Aunt Win inviting ME to go to the Jungle Book with them.  Needless to say I WAS EXCITED!!  My mom told me that I could go with them if I got my jobs done and if I was helpful to her.  Suzie would have just been a brand new baby and
Rich would have been 3 and between having 6 children and teaching full time, my mom was always busy.  I don't remember being a difficult or disobedient child but evidently on this day I was!!  I don't remember what jobs I had been assigned to do but I do remember I didn't do them.  I remember thinking to myself that there was no way that my mom wouldn't let me go to Jungle Book because it was such an amazing opportunity for me.  I don't even really remember reminders during the day or threats that if I didn't get things done I couldn't go.  However, I do remember that I was excited and couldn't wait for my fantastic evening out on the town with Ann.  It might even include stopping by the Iceberg on the way home for a shake.

The time had finally arrived.  I was all ready to go.  As I was waiting for the honk of the horn my mom came over and told me that she had decided that this time she was going to let Karen go with Ann.  WHAT??????  COULD IT BE POSSIBLE?!!  She explained that at the beginning of the day she had told me what needed to be done in order for me to go.  She said that I couldn't go because I hadn't done the things she had asked me to do.  I don't remember trying to change her mind.  I knew she was right and I also knew there was no changing her mind.  I watched Karen get into the car and wanting it to be me that was the one to get into that car.  I also remember it being quite sometime later that I was finally able to see Jungle Book.  I learned a very value lesson that day.  The true "bare necessities" to have a happy life has to do with choosing the right.