Friday, November 5, 2010

Reason, Season, Lifetime

My sister said something to me last weekend that got me thinking about the poem, Reason, Season, or Lifetime...

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 previously wrote a post entitled, Changed Relationships, where I wrote about how different relationships in my life have changed since my car accident. But, relationships are more complex than reason, season, or lifetime.

Friends that come into our lives for a reason makes sense to me. And, even (at least to some extent) friends that come into our lives for a season makes sense to me. But, somewhere between season and lifetime, I think the line start to blur. I think there are friends that help us through a series of seasons - sometimes consecutive and sometimes scattered over time. ...or, maybe I just have too high of expectations about what friendship is, and what a true lifetime friend looks like. I know it's unreasonable to expect another person to be there for you through every single up and down. But, what do you do when what you believe to be a lifetime friend seems absent or out of reach for some very important / difficult / big events or experiences or even seasons in your life? That I don't know...

Maybe I am not meant to know the answer, though. During those times when I feel so disconnected from my friends and / or loved ones, perhaps the Lord is trying to teach me something... to draw me closer to Him... to teach me to truly rely solely on Him. It is a difficult lesson to learn, and I am still struggling with it.

In the midst of chronic pain and suffering, it is often dark and lonely. If it wasn't for God's light shining - sometimes near and sometimes far away - I would be completely lost and swallowed in the darkness of pain, suffering, depression, anxiety...

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Psalm 119:105

4 comments:

  1. Jamie, just reading this post helps me better to understand what a relationship is and could be. Thank you for sharing your story. I struggle in this area of friendships and relationships. Blessings dear one.

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  2. Hi Jamie!

    When I think of this poem, I too can understand the reason and season of friendships, but it wasn't until someone pointed out to me about lifetime. My best friend for the past 20 years is my husband and I know that Heavenly Father sent him to me to be with me for a lifetime. To be beside me through all my trials that I have suffered and will suffer. (Hopefully not too much more.) He has taught he more things than probably a thousand people would've had to teach me, but in Heavenly Father's wisdom, He sent Dave to me. To love me, to comfort me, to take care of me, to be there for me, to help raise a family, to take care of the kids when I was too ill to do so, the list can go on and on, but I think you can understand. Dave may be my husband, but he is my best friend and I get to love him every day, because he shows me everday how much he loves me.

    Jamie, I want to thank you for the email. It answered a lot of questions, but I still have more, and I will send an email to you soon.

    Thanks,

    Holly

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  3. I just found you through JBR's blog. you wrote..."In the midst of chronic pain and suffering, it is often dark and lonely. If it wasn't for God's light shining." For me......in those moments...alone with Him....wishing He would free me already..He did something else....He made me strong. Stay strong okay

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