Surprise!

Life is full of surprises. You never know when you meet someone if or how they might impact your life. Some people come and go in a moments passing...others are by your side for life. And then there are some people that walked with you for a while, fall away, and then someday reach out and are right there with you again. It's amazing!

Everyone in my life knows what I'm going through right now. And, even though that doesn't make the pain go away, it's good to know that there are some people that will be there for you, no matter how many miles away they are. A person who impacted me greatly a few years back reached out to me again this weekend. (You know who you are...and you're probably reading this :) And I am extremely grateful to have you in my life. I know that things happen for a reason. I've always been a believer in that. I believe that God puts certain people in your life for certain reasons. To learn compassion, to learn about hope, to learn about faith, and some people are put there to show you how to love. I also know that I am strong, stubborn, and determined. These traits always get me through the rough patches. So, bottom line? I have faith that this too shall pass. And someday I will look back and understand all the reasons why it happened and be grateful for the lessons I take away from it. I already have learned a few big things from it...

~When you have someone wonderful in your life, tell them what they mean to you while they are there. Don't just assume they know. Sometimes, they don't feel it unless you make it clear. Show them that they are your best friend while they are next to you. If you don't, they will walk away to find someone who does all the little things that you were too blind to do-someone that will show them how special and important they are to them.

~Don't over analyze everything. I do this too often. Take things for what they are and work with them.

~Live in the moment more. I'm not saying be stupid. I'm saying, when you're happy, just be! When you let go, and quit thinking about it all, things happen organically. And usually, when things aren't forced or overly processed, they turn out just like you wanted them to. This goes back to the over analyzing that's constantly in my head.

~Listen. Listen. Listen. So many times we talk with out saying anything. Listen more. When someone is talking to you, look at them. Don't just listen with your ears. Listen with your heart. Don't just be thinking of what you'll say next. Just listen.

~Don't take people or chances for granted. If you get a chance at something you want, go for it. If someone is in your life and you are grateful for them, tell them. Don't hesitate and don't worry. There have been too many times in my life I was too cautious because I was afraid of getting hurt. Or I thought the walls around me would tumble down if I jumped in. I played it safe and stayed wishy-washy when I should have made it clear what I wanted.

~I also learned to not lose hope. Don't lose faith in others.

A few other people that had disappeared from my life back in school, reappeared out of the blue. Someone in my past who hurt me very badly back in the day, called me up this fall (it'd been years since we had talked) and apologized for the hurt that they had caused me. And a few years ago, an old roommate that I had in college reached out and apologized for a falling out we had back in school. We cried and laughed together, and caught up on one another's lives. It was wonderful! Did either of those apologies right the past? No. But it showed me that people learn and grow from their mistakes. And both of those apologies meant the world to me. It showed me that even though those people might not be in my life now the way they used to, we impact one another. We grew up together. And now all the hard feelings of our mistakes in the past melted away so the happy memories remain. So, just because someone walks away now in life, it doesn't mean they are gone forever. Chances are, if you think of them someday with a big fat smile on your face, they've done the same. Does that mean people always come back to you? No. Sometimes goodbye means just that. I'm just saying that second chances do happen, even if rare. And for now on, I'm going to make the best of each chance I get...first chance or second.

But back to my friend. Thank you for reaching out to me. It's greatly appreciated. I know now, I am not alone. It's also good to know that with years past, you are still here for me. And I hope you know, I am still here for you. :)