You can always come back home

Those who are close to me know that one of my favorite singers is Jason Mraz. I love most of his music because it’s all so cheerful and calming, but one of my favorite songs is “93 Million Miles.” In one verse, Mraz sings “Oh my irrefutable father he told me: Son, sometimes it may seem dark, but the absence of the light is a necessary part. Just know, that you’re never alone, you can always come back home.”

Our Heavenly Father sent us away from Him in order to learn and grow, just like Mraz’s father sent him off to see the world for himself. Because He loves us, God gave us bodies, families, french fries, boba, fluffy romances, stuffed animals, sunshine, the smell of the earth after it rains, and all the other wonderful things in the world that make us happy! But because there must be opposition in all things, He also allows illness and injury, financial struggles, grief, political upheaval, natural disasters, crime, anger, life changing pandemics, and even death to find a place in our lives. It is when we are faced with the worst that life can throw at us that it seems like we are in a cloud of utter darkness — with no light to guide us through.

As spiritual and temporal shadows come into our lives, it often seems like God has disappeared. How many of us have asked “Where art thou Father?” during times of personal distress and hardship?

When you play peek-a-boo with a baby, you’re not only playing; you’re actually strengthening the infant’s object permanence. To put it simply, babies think that once they can’t see your face anymore then it’s actually gone. Peek-a-boo reinforces the concept that although your face might be covered, it’s still there and never left.

As children of our Heavenly Parents, we are still infantile in our understanding of Their wonders and power. When we are faced with trials in our lives, we often forget that They walk right beside us. Just like babies struggling with physical object permanence, we struggle with divine object permanence. And just like an infant’s parents lovingly reminding their child over and over that they haven’t actually gone away, our Heavenly Parents continually remind us that they never left our side.

But nobody wants to be in darkness forever, even if they aren’t alone. So how can we find that guiding light again? In John 8:12, Jesus said “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that we can once again find light. Through His teachings, we are able to be guided on the pathway back to our heavenly home and eternal life.

When I was younger, I had to walk to middle school every day. Although it was normally only a five to ten minute walk, in the winter it seemed much longer because of the dark and the cold. One particular day, the bone chilling wind was blustering and the sun had already set, so I was on my journey home completely alone in the cold darkness of an Alaskan January. As I crested the hill in my neighborhood, I looked down and could see that the lights outside of our garage were on. Once I could see the light, the path before me was illuminated just enough to safely return home again.

We are asked to endure, yes. But we are not asked to endure alone. With the assurance that our Heavenly Parents and Savior are continually by our side, we can face the shadows and heartaches that will inevitably find their way into our lives. As we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ and the light that it brings, we find ourselves on the pathway back to eternal life and the open arms of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. So, when all seems like it is darkness and you feel utterly lost, remember these words: “You are never alone, you can always come back home.”

Avery Palenske is a seventeen-year-old student, swimmer, and Korean drama enthusiast. She loves sunflowers, elephants, french fries from the Valley Hotel, and poker nights with her friends, but her favorite thing is being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.