Reason, Season or Lifetime

I've spent a lot of time the last couple of years wondering why certain people have come and even gone out of my life. Why did they not come sooner? Why are they no longer a part of my life? Why have some remained? What was the meaning of the time we shared? I've never doubted that everything happens for a reason. Maybe I was not giving credit where credit was due. If you’ve ever caught yourself dwelling on this too maybe you should keep reading and see if you take something from the message below.


Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

I think everyone has experienced the "reason" friend. You may have been one by giving the person at the check-out in the grocery store money because they did not have enough. Maybe you gave an unsuspecting waiter/waitress a larger than normal tip because you could tell they were dealing with a hardships. Recently an accident happened in front of me and I stopped to offer assistance, call 911 and to be an eye witness to the lady that was hit by another driver that ran a red light. Not everyone stopped......I was there for a reason! Sounds silly but it happens to all of us on a daily basis. A need was met by either you or by someone else when it was least expected.

The "season" friend could be numerous examples here but I've had people after the fact come to me for advice knowing I've dealt with a similar situation and want help or advice. I took it as an opportunity to share and possibly grow from it. Then I've had people share with me something that at the time blew my mind or I would have had no idea they were going through. It could also turn out we had a lot in common and had a lot to offer each other in terms of friendship or emotional support. It comes in all forms folks. Who knows what will happen when first presented with it but the chance for the season friendship to become a lifelong friendship is worth it to me. If you take anything from those moments maybe you can help yourself to become a better person and maybe you've helped someone else along the way. It's all just little pieces to the giant puzzle I refer to as life.

I'll be the first to admit that I've struggled with the "letting go" and "moving on" part when a friendship/relationship did not go how I thought it should go. Or worse, it wasn't anything near what I thought we had. When it goes sour those have a tendency to feel an awful lot like a blow to your face or a harsh break-up that bruises your heart. Over time and once the pain has settled it often becomes apparent why things ended the way they did (making it a "season" friendship). You have to want to see it for what it was and want to move forward from it!!! Hopefully you learned something valuable about yourself from the experience and that too can help you achieve being the kind of person you'd like to be.

I am thankful for every REASON, SEASON & LIFETIME!
I would not be the person I am today without them all.