Life Connections

How ironic that this brief and
reflective entry appeared in my email inbox. As I read it, I knew that I had seen it before and it always made me think.  As you read
it, reflect about the people that are now in your life

The email read:

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. 

Just like yesterday. A nice man stopped me
in the subway as I was racing to catch a train and said, “You look so nice in
your big, Russian fur hat and coat. I stopped for a minute to say "thank you" and he immediately said, "No, thank you for stopping to respond." In the hustle and bustle of life—stop
and say "thank you"! Acknowledge the person who just complimented you and you will
make two people happy! Right as I was walking away, he said—“I don’t have any
cards cause I just started my new job today," and he proudly said, “I’m a switchboard
operator!” He seemed a little mentally challenged, yet I thought, he was proud to be employed, he was assertive and
he was confident that he just said something nice to a stranger and didn’t worry about
what the reaction would be.  As I walked away, I thought, "I can learn
something from him" and I did.

…the email continued:

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 .

Have you ever met someone on a vacation that you totally
connected with and learned from… and then as life catches us, we say, "We
must get together!" Yet we never do. However, they did teach you something. This
happened when I met Blanche, a terrific and fun lady with amazing energy on my
trip to Africa last year.

…it continued:

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.

Who are the people that are always there for you no
matter what. They say you are lucky in life if you can count your real
friends on one hand (and that is cutting off two fingers). Although they now look
down from heaven, I’m reminded of my two wonderful parents that I
think about and know are with me everyday.

This whole article is all about the power of
people and what networking is all about—continually being
surprised by the lessons and opportunities that come into our life, through the
people that we meet.

There are no  accidents. The question is, how do we react and what do we learn to make our life richer and
stronger.

Back to my favorite tag line—when you meet
someone you have an opportunity to learn from them or or an opportunity to be a resource and give
to them.

Let me know what you think?