A Reason and Goodbye

I received the following e-mail today. It is one of those "Forwards" that you have to send back or bad things will happen to you. I never send them, but this one really hit home for me, so I am posting it here:

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.

A few years ago I met someone who came into my life for a reason. We were both new Moms and having a rough go of it. We found in each other support and kindness. For four years we were inseparable. Then, last spring everything changed. Suddenly she was saying unkind things to me and treating me like we were strangers. She slammed my door one day as she was leaving my house in a huff, and I had had enough. She was acting up and I had to take a stand. We had words. She said unkind things, I said unkind things right back. In a flash, the friendship was over.

Over the course of a few months, she continued to say and do hurtful things as I was just trying to come to terms with what happened to our friendship. Recently I have been looking through old photos remembering the good times we had. I have so many photos of our babies playing together and there are days when I wish we could make more of those happy memories. But I have finally realized that those days are in the past and I should only think of them fondly and be glad that she was in my life for that short time. She is who inspired me to go organic and to begin to knit. She helped me through a really rough pregnancy. I helped her when she needed someone to watch her children. I guess the need was met, the desire fulfilled and she chose to walk away. Now, finally, I am walking away too.

Goodbye friend.

Thank you to my lifetime friends and family for your support and guidance. I love you all!