Though I did not feel that the lyrics to ‘Windows of My Soul,’ by Quinton Mills, were particularly inspiring, the idea of there being windows of or to our soul has been tickling my thoughts. There are many windows and they play an important part in our lives. For example, I was sitting relaxed in my lounge chair the other night and I happened to glance out the window and there in the middle of a black night was the moon. It was nearly at it’s full phase and I thought, how beautiful. There it was, one of many reminders of how much Heavenly Father loves his children, the children that he sent to this earth, the earth that He created for our training in mortality. Whether we are looking in a window or looking out of a window what we see are God’s creations. How these are viewed will always depend on the individual viewer. There are many windows and those that provide us a glimpse of the past often provide us a glimpse into a window of our own soul, as well.
Many families when building their own home have chosen to build them with what is referred to as a ‘picture window.’ Some of those families have been fortunate enough to have their ‘picture window’ face a direction that frames a beautiful natural landscape. Other picture windows may only frame a busy street where life is passing by. In either case, a window can provide us with a view of life and/or nature.
As we view life through our windows, we may describe what we see differently than what another may see and describe looking through that same window. Too, what we see may be remembered differently for each viewer. Evidence of that becomes obvious when family members get together and start reminiscing about the past events when they were all present. Each individual will remember the event somewhat differently. Even so, if it were a happy event, all will feel happy all over again just because of the memory. Interestingly, if a happy event from the past is described well, even those who were not present but are merely reading about it, can find joy and a feeling of happiness themselves in the stories of their ancestor’s memories of those happy moments.
Personal and/or family stories of the past can be described as windows, windows into the minds and memories (the souls) of those who went before, just as the song suggests.
Our prophets and leaders have from the very beginning asked us to keep journals. Journals describe our life’s journey so that those who follow will know of us and know of the sacrifices that were made so that they could enjoy the life they have today. Those who were faithful in doing so have left us treasures of our heritage. Stories of our forefathers are inspirational and, in many cases, motivational in directing our own lives. Stories of the events from our ancestors lives can make us happy; they can make us sad. They can also inspire us to want to be successful, to become educated or to be willing to stand up for what is right. They can literally become scripture for those of us who follow as their descendants. Below is a verse from the song, “Windows of My Soul:”
“Through these windows you will see Reassurance for my needs
If you look closer you will find
Sweet peace and comfort for my mind You see I’m bound for heaven, and not hell Amazing grace has prevailed
Right now he’s walkin’ to and fro’ Through the windows of my soul.”
By reading the personal journals and family histories of our ancestors we are essentially allowed to walk ‘to and fro’ through the windows of their soul. Thinking of it in that way makes the reading of their stories a more sacred event, a real treasure. A window into their very soul.
May we love and respect those who are now or will become our own descendants, that when we move into the next realm of existence we leave an opportunity for them to go ‘walkin’ to and fro’ through the windows of our souls. Our stories, the stories that we may leave behind will make it possible for them to do that walkin’. God bless us to follow the words of the prophets in regards to writing our stories.