Endings

Recently, I have been thinking about the phases of life, the cycles of relationships within those phases, and how we are affected by all of it.

I guess I’m at an age where major shifts happen in regards to relationships and life itself. The most jarring of these apparent shifts is being at this age where friends are losing their parents (physically). It makes me stop and give thanks…and wonder…and changes my perception of life as a whole. In fact, I used to question if I would need to care for my mother one day, and the thought alone used to cause me to feel stress and worry. Now I hope to have the opportunity.

Then of course, there are the “romantic” relationships that have come in waves, only to wash up on empty shores and recede despite our efforts. No matter how much we fight for it, some parts of today will not reach tomorrow…and that can be a tough pill to swallow, but we do. Think about it; how many times have you been a part of a relationship that ended with a broken heart (yours, theirs, or both)? Do you walk away only clinging to the painful ending, or are you able to remember the good that made you fall in love in the first place? There was probably something that you can give thanks for, even if it’s thanks for being strong enough to let go.

I also find it fascinating how certain people are key to our early development, and no matter how close you were in the process, you can become strangers over the years. Or on the other hand, there are the friendships that cannot be touched or phased by distance and time. No matter how much reason has replaced communication, there are some friendships that linger in silence and always pick up where you left off.

In most of these events and relationships, there is growth through love and heartache. At the end of the day, the appreciation we show for the shared experiences is what makes our connections rich and everlasting. I believe that if we simply acknowledge to ourselves how someone has impacted our life, or how their very presence made a difference in who we are, we energize love and gratitude that will forever radiate throughout the universe.

We dance in and out of each other’s lives. We hold on and let go, whether knowingly or unwillingly. We are a part of one journey, broken in to individualized journeys…fortunate that paths weave in and out of each other. We impact, influence, guide, and redirect each other. The perception we hold, positive or negative, is completely up to us. But can you agree that it would better serve us to see the beauty in endings? Why would we choose to allow the beauty of our experiences slip away, by holding on to the less than beautiful aspects? Love lingers.

Moving forward, what elements will you leave imprinted in the lives you touch? Which imprints have others left in you that leave you standing in gratitude? Touch lovingly and all will end in love.