What is most important? Analysis

Throughout the average person's life, priorities change and interchange, and undergo constant shuffling through new experiences, new situations, or maturation. It is possible to have one main priority for an extended period of time, but it is impossible to have a specific list that outlines what your priorities will be the rest of your life.
For a large part of the world, religion has a strong hold for number one on the priorities list. Religion can, and does affect a person's everyday decisions and reactions to the world around them if it takes a high importance in that person's life.
For the majority of the 1st world society, pleasure and self-justification takes first on the list of priorities. If one allows themselves to become his or her first priority, then that priority will also be reflected in the decisions they make.
Unfortunately, there is an overwhelming number of people in the world who do not have the luxury of making pleasure and entertainment their first priority. Many of them feel forced to put religion very far down on their priorities list. While the 1st world does not put much thought into survival, the poor people of the earth have only that on their minds as they go from meal to meal, dollar to dollar. How many of even the middle or lower classes of America have felt the extended pangs of hunger? How many English have had to drink contaminated water, if only to survive? How many have been ripped from their homes and slaughtered so that a diamond lord can have room to work the mines? These are not things we think about. They are not provided for in our conscious priorities. It accounts for their entire list.
Family has always been important to every society and civilization on mankind. Parents to nurture children, and children to have place to teach and learn. Unfortunately, in the current fast-paced culture, family is often pushed to one of the last on the list of priorities. Perhaps this is why 1 per 3 people have some sort of mental weakness or disease. Perhaps this is why the news is so full of the most abominable of crimes. Perhaps this is why we aren't safe.
Right now in my life I believe that school often takes over, taking second only to my religion. I may say that my family takes priority, but I have often sacrificed time with family for time to do homework. I have sacrificed service for homework. I have sacrificed precious time with my friends for homework. I have sacrificed Young Women activities to do homework. I have failed to complete other responsibilites because I have been doing homework. I have fallen exhausted onto the floor after doing hours of homework, not even being able to think about reading my scriptures. I have even sometimes allowed myself to take time from the Sabbath to do homework. I know that is wrong. I know that is wrong. I know that is wrong. This whole way of life is undeniably, completely, and utterly wrong, and the only reason I'm living this way is because my schoolwork is taking priority. I give and give and give, and I don't have time to do the things I know to be the most important. I give up 90% of my priority list, including some survival priorites, for my schoolwork. I rarely even have time to learn the material rather than just finish the assignment. Because the grade is my priority, the grade is my reward. And that only if I make the cut.
The worst part is I don't think I can escape. I have little hope that I can immediately set my priorities straight. Sometimes I can't help but fall onto my knees, and wonder why I am doing this to myself. Why can't I escape? Because there's another term. There's another semester. There's another year. There's another grade, and I can't let that get too out of reach, because the farther reaching priority, college, will also get further out of reach. This whole life is wrong. This whole system is wrong. My whole priority list is wrong. What should it be? I know just as well as anyone else. Religion, family, friends, service, schoolwork, whatever. It should be black and white. It should be clear in my mind and clear in the way I live my life. But it's not. School flits in and out, fluttering and overlapping, always trying to take number one.
Fortunately I'm not going to let it get that far up. I cannot dispair. I've got to accomplish my goals without letting my priorities get out of line. There is no way I can do this by myself. If your priorities are properly placed, the higher priorities will help you accomplish your lower priorities, and help you to weed out the ones that aren't important. I'm not lost, I only misplaced myself. It's time to get back on track.
To love. I leave this priority last, because it is a subject that is not easily defined, and naturally is very precious to me. I am not able to put love on my priorities list because it is not something to be controlled, and is difficult to nurture, and difficult to do much with except cherish at this time in my life. Love is mocked by the light-hearted, defiled by the culture, and almost forgotten by all except the innocent. It seems that no one really knows what it is to truly love someone because they are too self-absorbed. Lust takes over at an early age, and is never really constrained because no one socially respected ever says it's anything but natural and good. Maybe that's why domestic violence is so high. Husbands and wives frequently don't really have the chance to love eachother. Pure love is a part of my religion, it helps me to be closer to my family, and to be a better friend. So, in a way, love is first on my priorities list, and I think that it should be.
In the end, after all is said and done, it is your priorities that define you. If you put others first, they will put you higher on their list than before, and you will have relationships and experiences that will last beyond the grave. If you put your religion first, you will grow in faith, and in the ability to follow that religion wherever it takes you. If you put your family first, generations hence will prosper and honor you and your dedication and love. If you put yourself first, you will have nothing but what you started with.