When I was in my teens, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. And I was! Both at Primary school level aged 5-12 years and at university, lecturing in Education with Preservice teachers. I taught the normal ‘three R’s’ curriculum, specialised in the musical and dramatic creative arts areas at both organisations, and produced huge, combined schools’ extravaganzas and I so loved every minute of it for a combined total of 30 years. But then things changed.

Dramatically!

“Things happen for reasons!”

We hear that expression quite frequently. The ‘phrase’ is used to describe or to express the idea that events or circumstances occur in our lives with a purpose or underlying meaning, and we interpret this concept in various ways, depending on our beliefs and perspectives. Our pathway changes. It can be reassuring and comforting to take that new path, (although the one we were on, we originally thought was secure) and we have to adjust and say we are ok with that!  However, when cruel adversity happens, it can also lead to disillusionment, anguish, and feelings of abandonment, leaving us to ask, “Why me?” That is when the emotional logical side of us doesn’t quite accept that phrase of reasoning and we don’t agree with the phrase. That is where it is hard to accept.

So then, think about the saying that “People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.” I have to admit that I for one truly believe that! No matter how capable, competent, or how painful a role these ‘people’ played, they taught me  something, a something that we i may not know right then and there but will reveal itself to me at some point eventually.

Philosophically speaking, people do come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime” and that all these individuals we encounter on our chosen pathway, can have different roles and durations of impact on whatever road we are walking. Some enter our lives to serve a specific purpose, whether it is to teach us something, offer guidance, or help us through a particular situation. They may provide insights, challenges, or experiences that contribute to our personal growth and development. Once their purpose or their reason for being there is fulfilled, they exit our lives. Then there are those who come into our lives and walk along our path for a temporary period. Think about your friends, your colleagues, or others who share experiences and contribute to your life during specific moments. When circumstances change those relationships may naturally fade away. Then there are those lifetime relationships that stand the test of time and remain strong and meaningful throughout our lives. These are the individuals who provide unwavering support, love, and companionship. They are the ones we know we can rely on during both joyful and challenging times, forming deep and lasting bonds.

Can you relate to any of these three? I most certainly can!

I personally do believe that things happen for reasons and different people assist us on that way forward, as part of that reason, in that change. But sometimes we say, it does not quite happen that way! There are times that change or that happening is not the way we want to go, get the answer or verdict, or comment we would have predicted or thought we would receive. It is not what we really wished to occur. We desired something else, but nevertheless we try to move onwards hoping and praying that this is the correct path to travel, or towards the new answer we prefer!

For me personally, I know my path has changed quite a lot over the decades I have been on this earth and not all were what I actually desired! The biggest one for me was I lost a husband to cancer at a young age, a ‘happening’ that never should have occurred. At the time and for quite a long time, I truly wondered why! Why did God take my husband away from me? But, believing in ‘everything happens for a reason’ can also assist in empowering us to create meaning from the tragedies and setbacks we experience in life. Believing in the reason behind any challenging event can also be about managing any pain felt and giving you strength and empowerment to go on. Sometimes you cannot see the reason why there and then…you just have to keep plodding on, believing that one day you will. I had to see why. It took me some time and yes, I had to accept  that! Painfully.

But I would like you to also consider that neither does that change , that hurt or pain have to be a huge, marked event in your life like the death of a loved one. Instead, it can be something quite simple, but it still hurts just as much in its own right.  We have to still function with that change. We have to try to accept the ‘reason for it happening’. We have to walk with the ‘people ‘who were part of that somewhat trivial but significant event to you. Simple things like working through the heartache of your special day/event that was forgotten by those close to you. It can be successfully completing a mammoth task after months of extremely hard effort to have it brushed off as insignificant. It can be knowing what you personally had to get through that week and an offhand statement was made regarding ‘don’t forget the wages or bills to be paid (as if you would!) It can be those small hurts in your partnership or those with your family and learning how to struggle through all of that! It can be simply waiting for that procedural test result you had late in the week and anticipating the results that may adjust everything about your life and the way you may have to look at it. No, it does not have to be catastrophic events to change your pathway, or the way you analyse things or work with others and yourself through them, it is more rather the day-to-day smaller issues and pathways you ventured on!

But big or small changes do occur. Different People emerge. The Reasoning ‘why ‘begins…eventually!

Things changed for me after 30 years of a job I loved and not in a good way. I had to walk away from my loved career of teaching. But  I can now say that it happened for a reason. As much as I could not see why at the time, it was a positive change. Long story short, I ended up as Practice Manager in a GP Medical Practice. Something not on my planned itinerary for myself, working in an unknown foreign domain I knew absolutely nothing about! If you have asked me, in my earlier preplanned life that I absolutely loved, whether I would have been working as a manager with staff in a medical office from my mid 50’s onwards, I would have truly laughed at you. But Circumstances made my pathway change. And along my way, I met so many different people who came into my new world and travelled alongside me on my pathway. Some lingered, some left, some are still there, but each one contributed in some form and manner to my new role- to my persona, ultimately to me as a leader, and most importantly as a person. As Me.  (Interestingly, I commenced that new role as a ‘Temporary Practice Manager” until the ‘real employee’ took the position. Guess what! Twelve years later and I am still here. And, to answer your question, loving every minute of it!)

Yes, Things do change.

Yes, Things do happen for reasons.

Yes, People enter our lives for different stages and reasons.

So -where are you now?

What is your reason for being where you are?

Enjoy every minute while you wait for the next stage to happen! Because you never know what is around the corner! Or what the reason is for that to happen!

But you will!!!