A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

This evening, I was talking with two of my neighbors (close friends). We discussed how much we've been through since we all met and came into each other's lives. I am so grateful for the friends I have that are a part of me! We talked about some of the trials we've gone through and some of the helping hands that we've seen others offer. We talked about how giving and kind people are around us and how grateful we are to them for helping us and how neat it is to be a silent observer when someone helps someone else. Its an amazing blessing to watch friendship at work. Talking with them tonight, really made me think of some of the kindness I've seen or been at the receiving end of. ... A friend loans a family a car not for a day or two, but for months because the family is out of work and can't afford a needed second car. People just stopping by or making a phone call at the needed time. Helping someone when their is a disaster. Gift cards, groceries, cash showing up for families when money is too tight. Being there when a friend loses a baby pre-term. Being there when another friend has twins. Being there when a friend grieves the loss of a sister. Helping a family when the mom has surgery. Being there for fun times and hard times. That's what friends are about. I'm so grateful for our friends and grateful, knock on wood, we haven't seen more trials. We haven't seen divorce. We haven't directly dealt with death of a spouse or a child we all knew. So tonight, when I got the email below, I wanted to share it with you - all of my friends!

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. Of course the email version says to send it on to friends and depending on how many respond, it determines what kind of friend you are. But to me, I just want all of you to know you are my friend and I am grateful for you because you are amazing people! The email also mentions that angels exist, but sometimes they haven't got wings and we call them friends. I know that to be true! I am so grateful to all the angels in my life (friends and family), lifting me up, believing in me, forgiving me for my shortcomings and mistakes, loving me regardless of how insensitive or misguided I have been! I am grateful to my friends in the past, present and future! Maybe this is why I have a hard time letting go of a friend, why I hang on so dearly to my friends ... because I know I need ALL the angels in my life to help carry me through and make me a stronger, better, move loving person!! I truly hope that somehow, someday, I can be an angel in each of your lives!