How could a simple staircase hold such profound personal meaning? It’s not a grand architectural marvel I designed myself, nor the scene of a life-altering epiphany. Yet, this particular flight of stairs within my home serves as a potent, daily reminder, anchoring me to invaluable lessons about life, gratitude, and spiritual connection.
Indeed, that very staircase you see pictured behind me is arguably the most significant architectural feature in my entire house. Every single time my eyes fall upon it, two distinct, powerful reflections invariably come to mind, shaping my perspective and reinforcing my commitment to a life lived with purpose and appreciation.
The Indomitable Miracle of Our Healthy Bodies
My journey with this first reflection began long before the profound experiences that cemented its meaning. Back in my college days, living in the often-harsh climate of Rexburg, Idaho, while attending BYU-I, I remember seeing ubiquitous signs urging students to “take the stairs” to fortify their hearts and promote overall health. For the first two years, I didn’t own a car, which meant my daily commute often involved trudging uphill, both ways, through formidable snow, biting winds, and freezing temperatures. Any former or current student of BYU-Idaho will unequivocally attest to the truth of this challenging reality. By the time I reached my classes, I was frequently breathless from the trek alone.
Yet, those signs resonated with me. I embraced the challenge, deciding then and there that I would run up every single flight of stairs I encountered. It became a personal litmus test: if I couldn’t make it to the top without struggling excessively, I knew I wasn’t prioritizing my self-care as I should. This habit, born from youthful vigor and a desire for fitness, instilled in me an early appreciation for physical capability and the importance of a strong heart.
To this day, I maintain that habit. Whenever I ascend our home’s staircase, I still challenge myself to run up, feeling my heart rate quicken—a simple, effective way to get my blood pumping and maintain cardiovascular health. Little did I know, however, that years later, these very stairs would become a stark, poignant gauge of my body’s resilience, putting everything to an unimaginable test during a harrowing period of hyperemesis gravidarum.
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is far more than mere “morning sickness”; it’s a relentless, debilitating condition that can strip you of every ounce of energy and strength. I vividly recall finding myself literally collapsing from severe dehydration and starvation. The vibrant energy I once had, the ease with which I would bound up stairs, vanished completely. The simple act of moving became an monumental effort. During those darkest days, the staircase transformed from a symbol of fitness into an insurmountable obstacle, a stark reminder of my body’s profound vulnerability.
Today, as I gaze upon those stairs, they serve as a powerful, daily reminder of what an absolute miracle our bodies truly are. They implore me to care for this precious vessel, to nourish it, and to cherish every single day of health and vitality. Our stairs have become an enduring symbol of life itself – a testament that I am alive, that our precious babies all survived the trials, and that all of this profound recovery and endurance was possible because of divine strength and the unwavering support of my gentle, incredibly strong husband, Cade, who literally carried me through.
The gratitude I feel when I recall Cade’s powerful arms lifting my weak, emaciated, 80-pound body up those very stairs is beyond words. Even now, as I attempt to articulate it, I find myself overwhelmed by a tidal wave of emotion. His strength became my strength, his love a physical anchor in a sea of debilitating illness. That memory alone is a testament to the extraordinary power of unconditional love and partnership during life’s most challenging moments. Life truly is an incredible, sacred gift. We are not only called to treat it as such, but we also bear the responsibility of remembering and honoring the faces, the hands, and the hearts that have loved, supported, and literally carried us through our darkest hours. Their imprint on our journey is indelible.
Transformative Action: The Power of Acting on Good Thoughts
These stairs, beyond eliciting tears of gratitude, have also been instrumental in shaping me into a different, more intentional person. Long ago, I made a significant personal goal: to immediately act upon any good thought or positive prompting that came to mind. This wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about cultivating a deeper spiritual awareness and responsiveness. For instance, if I went upstairs to retrieve something and then had a sudden thought to text a friend, or to take meat out of the freezer for dinner, or even just noticed a stray pencil and thought, “I should grab that and put it away,” my commitment was to stop whatever I was doing and complete that new task immediately.
Initially, this practice was incredibly challenging. My natural inclination, like many, was to rationalize, “Okay, I’ll just run to the bathroom first,” or “Let me finish this one small thing, and then I’ll do that.” However, the outcome was almost invariably the same: within a mere two minutes, the thought would vanish from my mind, replaced by the hustle and bustle of daily life. The promptings, subtle and fleeting, were easily lost amidst distractions. This recurring pattern highlighted a critical flaw in my approach and reinforced the need for immediate action.
For years, I had listened to speakers at church emphasize the importance of developing a keen ear for spiritual promptings, learning to better recognize the voice of our Heavenly Father. This often involved paying attention to those “little feelings” or intuitive nudges. Our faith teaches that prayer is not merely a monologue, but a profound dialogue, where we can receive clear answers and direction for our lives. The essential skill, then, lies in recognizing how these answers manifest. They can appear as a good thought that suddenly enters our mind – perhaps you’ve experienced thinking of someone, texting them, and discovering they desperately needed to hear from you. Or it might be a quiet, undeniable sense of peace or love washing over you, a feeling so subtle yet powerful that it defies description but cannot be denied. These are often the quiet whispers of inspiration, guiding us toward beneficial actions or offering comfort.
In the whirlwind of a busy life, it’s easy to feel disconnected, to perceive nothing at all. This is precisely why I initiated this deliberate habit of immediate action. I noticed that often, these insightful thoughts or promptings would strike me just as I was ascending or descending this particular flight of stairs. In those moments, I would consciously choose to turn back around and complete the newly inspired task. I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that I am a profoundly different person because of this practice.
The transformation has been multifaceted. I experience a sense of peace far more frequently now, a quiet contentment that wasn’t as prevalent before. My daily productivity has soared, not just in terms of ticking off tasks, but in feeling a greater sense of accomplishment and purpose. I remember more things, reducing the mental burden of forgotten responsibilities. But most significantly, over the past year, I have witnessed an array of genuine miracles in my life – outcomes that, I firmly believe, could not have manifested had I not diligently practiced listening to the “little things.” These small acts of obedience, of tuning into subtle promptings, have gradually sharpened my spiritual senses, enabling me to discern and act upon the “bigger things” – the more significant inspirations and directions that guide my path.
Every single time my eyes meet these stairs, I am reminded of that profound promise I made to myself. It reinvigorates my determination, compelling me to continue this transformative practice. These stairs, more than just a means of vertical movement, have become a constant, physical reminder of growth, resilience, and the enduring power of purposeful action – a reminder that is changing me forever.