Sweet Sara

Jacquie Here.

Everyone has someone in their life who, when they think of how wonderful that person is, it brings them to tears. Either that, or I cry too much. Cause I have a few people like that in my life. 

Sara is one of them for me (see previous post, “Thoughts onGrown-Ups”).

Me & Sara in St. George

For being only 14-years-old, she sure has it all together. I am constantly amazed at how just plain GOOD she is. I don’t know how she does it. Or where she gets it. And everyone in the family agrees – Sara is an angel! I’m convinced she literally is. She just always wants everyone to be happy and love each other and never complains about ANYTHING. Everyone who comes in contact with her immediately becomes a better person, just by being in her presence. I’m serious.

Here’s the thing about Sara… She has not had an easy life. She’s had to deal with a lot more drama, tragedy, disappointment, and sacrifice than I’m pretty sure any other 14-year-old has had to deal with. She’s had to up and move and leave all her friends multiple times. She’s had to sacrifice a lot of her childhood and youth to being responsible and taking care of our youngest sister, Sofia. While other 14-year-old girls go to the movies and go shopping, she spends more Friday nights at home playing with Sofia than she does out with her friends. And she’s such a great big sister and a positive example to Sofie. She’s been disappointed and had her heart broken by our parents time after time. She’s been fought over and tossed back and forth between homes. But I have never heard her complain ONCE. She doesn’t have many nice material possessions. Life is not always fair for her. Yet anytime I ask her how she is doing, she has nothing but positive things to say, sweet stories about Sofia, nice things to say about Mom, that school is going well… Never have I heard Sara wishing she had it any different.

She in unbreakable. 

She is the strongest woman I know.

Honestly, a 14-year-old girl.

And she is such a good girl. She works hard in school and does really well. She loves her sisters and treats us all so kindly. She’s patient and pleasant to be around. She’s so helpful and always is finding ways to serve others. She surrounds herself with good, positive friends anywhere she goes. She loves the Gospel and is not afraid to share it with people AT ALL. She goes with the flow and never feels sorry for herself. She gives up her social life completely to be there for Sofie and my mom. She knows how to cook and clean and she’s already close to finishing her Personal Progress for Young Women’s.  She’s funny and loves to laugh. She rarely gets to buy new clothes, but never complains about wearing hand-me-downs and still manages to look so cute! She’s beautiful inside and out. She’s always full of compliments for other people. And she is confident and happy. She’s so full of faith and hope. She’s incredibly humble. She has goals and aspirations and intends to achieve them. She knows she can have something better for herself, and she will do whatever it takes to get there. And best of all, she genuinely, sincerely loves everyone, even people who have mistreated her or hurt her.

I have no idea how. Anyone else in that situation would be a broken person. 

So I guess you could say I want to be Sara when I grow up. Even though she’s younger than me by 7 years, I still feel inadequate next to her. In my last post titled, “Thoughts on Grown-Ups”, I said that more important than what we want to be when we grow up is who we want to be. And everything I just described about Sara is exactly the kind of person I want to be. She is exactly the kind of person everyone should want to be when they grow up.

I love you Sara!

Who is somebody who has inspired you to be a better person?

Tell us.

Out,

Jacquie.