A Reason, a Season or a Lifetime
@GypsyButterfly (295)
Ukiah, California
April 16, 2021 12:04am CST
Some of you may be familiar with this. It's interesting the different connections we have throughout our lives & what meaning they have. Sometimes we try to keep someone in our life longer than they should be. The opposite is also true. Trying to end something before the time is right. It's not always easy to know which is which.
I know many people have gotten back in touch with old classmates, coworkers, neighbors, etc on Facebook & other social media. I've started wondering, should we do that? Did our time together end when it was supposed to & we shouldn't be bringing them back into our lives, no matter good the friendship/relationship might have been? If we are meant to reach out, who should be the one doing that, them or us? There may be no clear cut answer.
People come into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do with 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 they are 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 now 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 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.
22 people like this
18 responses
@Chellezhere (5701)
• United States
16 Apr 21
As children, we excitedly run home and announce that we have "made a new friend" at school. And, we refer to every child who talks to us, sits with us on the bus, eats lunch with us at our tables, hangs out with us at recess, or walks to and from school with us as "friends." But, most of them are nothing more than classmates (i.e.: acquaintances). The same thing holds true when it comes to people at work. Most "friends" at work are our coworkers (i.e.: acquaintances). We don't go to school and work to make friends. We go to school to learn, and we go to work to earn (a paycheck). Making a few friends along the way is just an added bonus.
I used to have close too 5,000 "friends" on Facebook - most of them I did not even know. But, a neighbor from my childhood is an international recording artist, two former classmates have huge followings as local singers, and one former classmate/boyfriend in high school (who is actually still my friend) is a disc jockey and magician. So, it was easy to be accepted by those thousands of people on Facebook because of the amounts of "mutual friends" (even though we may not have had any real-life friendships with them at all).
Over time, for various reasons, I eliminated connections. I am now down to 76, and I am content with that. Nearly half are my family members, and the rest are my true friends, my mother's true friends, and a few classmates from my childhood.
8 people like this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
18 Apr 21
@Chellezhere I'm not sure why you gave your age. I'm 52 & there's still a lot to learn & understand about all sorts of things. You may have seen my post that I have ovarian, possibly, lung cancer. Still in the investigative stage. I've already had bone (1999) & uterine (2018). I've survived other things, such as, child abuse as well. Have been doing inner work & healing, before this latest diagnosis.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@Chellezere Quality is much more important than quantity. As I mentioned in another post, I've gotten to know people through my volunteering at the shelter. On Facebook, I belong to several pet groups, as well as running a few of my own. I've connected with a lot of people involved in rescue. I definitely hope to meet most, if not, all of them that are in my contacts. Many I already have. These are the kind of people I want in my life. I finally have good friends.
I may write about the first half of my life, at some point. I know it will be relatable to some. It's good to let others know they're not alone. There's reasons it took me this long to get to where I have people who are caring, supportive & I can depend on. More importantly, that I allow that. Trust has been a long time coming. A story for some time down the road.
@Shavkat (139672)
• Philippines
17 Apr 21
@GypsyButterfly As far as I know, my immediate family will be always there for me and my best friend, God.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@Shavkat Like they say, the only constant is change. We never know who are the ones who will be there with us through thick & thin. It's the ones who are meant to, even if some of them aren't the ones we thought would be.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
18 Apr 21
@Shavkat I agree about God. The family I was close to, my grandma & my cousin, have both passed. I'm thankful for the friends I have.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79649)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Apr 21
I am glad to be able to keep in touch with my childhood friends both in the US and Canada and my late husband's family in Latvia and it is so eacy to keep in touch on FB Messenger,
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (79649)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Apr 21
@GypsyButterfly he was born and raised in Riga Latvia I lived there with him for 20 years
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
25 Apr 21
@RasmaSandra Was he originally from Latvia?
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41387)
• United States
16 Apr 21
This is an excellent post. I'm going to suggest it to other myLotters. Thanks!
4 people like this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@1creekgirl Thanks, Vicki. I really do appreciate the recommendation.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339393)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Apr 21
Thanks Vicki (@1creekgirl) for suggesting this interesting piece. It certainly gives food for thought. Some people pass through our lives but leave an indelible mark.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (339393)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Apr 21
@MarieCoyle We do need to be open to the lessons too, don't we?
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@JudyEv I'm glad she suggested it. Some people are memorable. Not always for good reasons. Still, I think we do learn a lot from the people we interact with. No matter how brief.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (37101)
•
17 Apr 21
Sometimes, I think some people pass through our lives to show us something--how fortunate we actually are, or they bring something to the friendship that we love and appreciate. That being said, I have had two people pass through that I discovered were not friends, but users, and were not kind people. We learn as we go. I figure I learn something from everyone along the way.
2 people like this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@CarolDM I'm glad I could share this
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
17 Apr 21
@GypsyButterfly I appreciate the share very much.
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (51937)
• Philippines
17 Apr 21
Everyone goes through something and it's nice at least I see them on facebook now. Whats sad is that those people whom you look forward having a good life and family are the ones who passed on.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9219)
• Austin, Texas
18 Apr 21
I have memories of people from very very early in my childhood. I am happy all of them crossed my path at whatever point on my timeline. I am certain that my interactions with them have contributed to me being the person that I am today. Thanks to social media, I was able to reconnect with a few. But most of them, even though I did not realize it at the time, but the last time I saw them was ... the last time I would ever see them in this life. The memories are still there though and I'm glad of that.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
19 Apr 21
@cmoneyspinner That's why it's important to let people know we care. We never know when the last time will be the last. Do hold those good memories close.
@just4him (317040)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
17 Apr 21
@GypsyButterfly That's true.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@just4him Some of those may circle back around again. I do believe that a person could be in our life for more than one reason or season. A lifetime doesn't necessarily mean that they're connected to us for 50 years straight. There might be a break. Different things happen that make people drift apart. It's not always forever.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
18 Apr 21
@Dena91 I discovered it several years ago. It means even more now. We reach a certain point in our life & the ups & downs we've experienced, we understand it better.
1 person likes this
@GooglePlus (3831)
•
21 Apr 21
Though I am still wonder -- Is it true or a way to overcome of out it seeing de-attachment from dear ones.
That's fine, no one can force to stay someone in your life forever. So at times you need to loosen things up and let them go It hurts but you know you will be fine or you will re-direct that emotion to something else. 
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@Janet357 Part of it does say, lifetime. The ones that are meant to be there, will. I'm thankful for the people who have come into my life, no matter how brief. I've learned from them.
1 person likes this
@Michellekidwell (29385)
• Sonora, California
17 Apr 21
So true, I learned this early on...
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
18 Apr 21
@Michellekidwell I'm still learning it. For me, it's who should stay, who should go & who decides, me or them?
1 person likes this
@Michellekidwell (29385)
• Sonora, California
18 Apr 21
@GypsyButterfly Sometimes it’s you, sometimes it’s them, that’s been my experience
1 person likes this
@Kumukyawaliz (476)
• Kampala, Uganda
16 Apr 21
true,people dissappear like they never exsisted
2 people like this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@Kumukyawaliz Those who were there just for the moment (a reason), I consider, angels on earth. That helped us when we needed it.
1 person likes this
@Kumukyawaliz (476)
• Kampala, Uganda
17 Apr 21
@GypsyButterfly sure true thanks
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160610)
• United States
17 Apr 21
I am fortunate to have people in my life from all three categories. Funny, sometimes your lifetime friends are not at all like you, and yet there is a type of glue that causes you to stick together. I have a friend that has been a season, and then twenty years later or so she is there for a reason and then has slipped to a background position again. Right now our circles do not intersect. Like I said, I have all three.
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
18 Apr 21
@GardenGerty Your reason/season friend, is she the one who has been in your life the longest?
@patgalca (18362)
• Orangeville, Ontario
28 Apr 21
Debbie Macomber wrote a book about this subject called God's Guest List. It prompted me to start a new journal wherein I put a person's name from my past on the top of a page and then wrote how they benefited my life. Then continued on with people that are currently in my life. The idea is to reflect on this every time someone comes into your life and if and when they leave look for the reasons. The same is done for those that stay in your life. My husband sure has taught me a lot about patience.
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
17 Apr 21
I think you have a point, it is rather like the saying”you can’t go back home” . Some people are better as a memory than a reality
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
18 Apr 21
@BelleStarr Some it's best not to bring to mind at all or try not to. If they were abusive or something.
1 person likes this
@Robinhuut (457)
• Bogor, Indonesia
16 Apr 21
Keep smiling no matter what happens
1 person likes this
@GypsyButterfly (295)
• Ukiah, California
17 Apr 21
@Robinhuut For me, I know there will be times of stress & depression. I acknowledge that, do some self care & move on. I'm thankful that I have great friends now. Hope you do as well.
1 person likes this
