People change. What's important to us at one time, may have little value later. A sunny disposition may turn sour if life's events make it difficult to be positive. Life's big events often change the way we look at things, who we connect with, and how we spend our time. The truth is that people change, and if we want to hold onto our relationships, we have to make time and space for those changes.
I often think back to the economic changes that occurred in friends' lives when I was younger--changes that created somewhat different lifestyles for a group of people who had a lot in common. I remember feeling bad about that variation. I didn't take it in stride as I should have with the notion that we all travel different paths, and sometimes those paths merge and at other times those paths divide.
The same has been true with busyness--there have been times in my life that I didn't have a spare second while others had time for weekends away and leisurely pursuits. Like the economic differences, I found it difficult to reckon with those differences at that time, and all kinds of emotions emerged including jealousy, guilt, frustration, and more. I didn't see the variation for what it was--simply an example of life's diverse paths.
Again and again throughout life, I've seen people's paths merge and divide dependent on what's happening to them in all kinds of life dimensions including finances, children's needs/interests, geography, job demands, health issues, and more. Each of our lives move in different directions over time, and we have to take that movement in stride, and give those around us the space and time they need to travel their paths. To try to manage that variation is mostly useless with the exception of deliberately reaching out to those you care about to say, let's value each other's unique paths, but not lose track of each other either. Let's find a way to stay in touch even if it means that it will be less often or in new ways.
We've got to give each other the room we need to change in order to live good lives and follow paths that are true to us. We have to face this movement in life with an open mind, and the knowledge that paths that divide may come together again, and paths that merge may divide. The journey is not a straight arrow, but instead a curvy coastline with flatlands, hills, mountains, and valleys--terrains tough and easy.
Looking back I wish I had realized this natural flow of life earlier, and I wish I that I had not worried so much about the inevitable merge and divide in life's paths. I wish I had seen it for what it was, each person moving towards their individual destination, a place that they're called to live and be. Now looking back, it makes sense, and looking forward I'm able to embrace a greater open mind about these changing pathways that move us closer and closer to what we believe in and whom we want to be.
I often think back to the economic changes that occurred in friends' lives when I was younger--changes that created somewhat different lifestyles for a group of people who had a lot in common. I remember feeling bad about that variation. I didn't take it in stride as I should have with the notion that we all travel different paths, and sometimes those paths merge and at other times those paths divide.
The same has been true with busyness--there have been times in my life that I didn't have a spare second while others had time for weekends away and leisurely pursuits. Like the economic differences, I found it difficult to reckon with those differences at that time, and all kinds of emotions emerged including jealousy, guilt, frustration, and more. I didn't see the variation for what it was--simply an example of life's diverse paths.
Again and again throughout life, I've seen people's paths merge and divide dependent on what's happening to them in all kinds of life dimensions including finances, children's needs/interests, geography, job demands, health issues, and more. Each of our lives move in different directions over time, and we have to take that movement in stride, and give those around us the space and time they need to travel their paths. To try to manage that variation is mostly useless with the exception of deliberately reaching out to those you care about to say, let's value each other's unique paths, but not lose track of each other either. Let's find a way to stay in touch even if it means that it will be less often or in new ways.
We've got to give each other the room we need to change in order to live good lives and follow paths that are true to us. We have to face this movement in life with an open mind, and the knowledge that paths that divide may come together again, and paths that merge may divide. The journey is not a straight arrow, but instead a curvy coastline with flatlands, hills, mountains, and valleys--terrains tough and easy.
Looking back I wish I had realized this natural flow of life earlier, and I wish I that I had not worried so much about the inevitable merge and divide in life's paths. I wish I had seen it for what it was, each person moving towards their individual destination, a place that they're called to live and be. Now looking back, it makes sense, and looking forward I'm able to embrace a greater open mind about these changing pathways that move us closer and closer to what we believe in and whom we want to be.