Sunday, December 2, 2007

Relationships for a season

A friend and I were discussing recently how some friends tend to be friends for a while, and then they kind of drift out of our lives. She was rather hurt by this, and I was trying to tell her that sometimes, people come into our lives for a reason, and when that reason is over, they leave, and we shouldn't try to hold on and make them stay.

Anyway, today, I received a chain email from another friend. Normally, I really hate chain emails, but this one was actually quite coherent, so I'm sharing it here:

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

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
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3 comments:

StephenC said...

There is a lot of truth in this passage.

However, it also gives the impression that it is not up to us, that there is nothing we can do about the friendship ending. Sometime it is true. Sometimes it is not. It takes time and effort to cultivate a friendship. It also takes time and effort to keep it.

tabbycat said...

Agreed. But sometimes it can't be avoided... and when those times happen, I think it's important to simply be grateful for the friendship, regardless of how long it had lasted for.

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