It is said that our life’s journey offers multiple life lessons which presents itself in various forms and at different checkpoints in our lives - often existing in the form of people we have met or interacted with along the way. Independent of how our life journey prompts us, we will always witness different types of people in each phase of our lives. These encounters occur for various reasons even if we don’t realise it at the time. If we reflect deeply enough, we will find that we never meet anyone by accident. In some way or the other, these people have impacted our lives greatly (both negatively and positively)- often re-shaping the course of our journey.
Through our own personal experiences, we will either believe or reject the notion that ‘everything happens for a reason’, fuelling the debate of fate versus coincidence. However, what if an interlinking commonality existed, a type of ‘meaningful coincidence’… a universal synchronicity, perhaps?
A connection created by time and bound through time at specific points in time. These synchronistic connections would exist to uncover meaningful revelations, expose clouded judgement, create mindfulness or even allow us to detach from negative and toxic traits. Whatever it may be, we have learned something from each person we have engaged with. Whether it was people from different ethnicities, regions, backgrounds and beliefs, they have contributed to who we are today. These people entered our lives, each with a specific purpose which after much thought, I can classify accordingly:
Those who help us to remember the important things in life – The Time Capsule Keepers
We often become so enveloped in our fast-paced lives and transfixed on new trends, that we tend to forget about our favourite past times or things we once valued. Often, this creates a deviation from the correct path. However, there are people who enter our lives to help us understand our feelings, situations, circumstances and disparities, whilst keeping us on the right track toward a fruitful future. They remind us of the things that are most important and etch their presence on our minds and souls. They may not stay around for too long but they do leave behind a lasting impression. They are the ones that can be gone but never forgotten.
Those that guide us and incite growth – The North Stars
There are people who enter our lives to nurture our growth and serve as the mentors of our soul. They may come in the form of teachers, mentors, counsellors, coaches or just a friend. These are the people who help us discover our true selves, whilst guiding us in the direction toward achieving our goals and aspirations. They allow us to see the opportunities within the overwhelming challenges and give us strength when we are at our weakest, often offering hope when all seems lost.
Those that stay – The Infinites
These are people who stay with us for the long-haul. The rare type, whose value is immeasurable. They become our support system and always show up when you need them the most. They help you rise when you fall, celebrate your successes and give you strength through your failures. The countless experiences and strong inexplainable bond with these people form an almost telepathic connection that spans time, distance and even space.
Those that hold space for us - The Paracletes
These people exist in our lives momentarily. They may hold space in a restaurant line, at the bus stop or at a table in a conference. We may only exchange a brief glance, encounter them through passing or share a few words; however, these small and temporary interactions are able to make us feel less lonely during that time. Think being invited to a party and not knowing anyone there and someone coming up to you and breaking the ice and keeping you company. These may be once-off interactions with no further or deeper connection. However, you would still be able to recall their name, face, specific trait or lesson taught even after many years have elapsed.
Those who create an awakening – The Disrupters
We might move through life with our rose-tinted glasses on, thinking that life should give us what we want. It is also possible that we have a singular outlook on things in general, until we meet those- I call the disrupters, and not the good ones. These people highlight the contrast between expectations and reality. They are the ones that you think you can’t live without at first until the tables turn and you wish you never met them. They can shake up your entire world within a blink of an eye and without warning. Nevertheless, they allow you to wake up and realise that the world isn’t rosy and not everyone has your best interest at heart. They allow you to face reality by tearing through your safety nets and exposing us to toxic traits this world has to offer. It is up to us to remove or distance ourselves from these disrupters of peace once we have learnt the lesson that they have to offer us.
Those that are meant to leave – The Nanny McPhee’s
These are people that present themselves at certain phases in life. They can enter our lives for a myriad of purposes but do not stay with us for a long time. They allow us to learn from them (both positive or negative). They may break your heart or leave an empty void which cannot be filled. They tend to show you the bigger picture of life, a different view of the world or introduce you to impactful information, all within the period they exist. However, they tend to leave suddenly and everything changes, often rejecting that they even existed in our lives. These people may embody the Nanny McPhee ideology: ‘when you need me, but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me, but no longer need me, then I have to go.’
It is safe to say that we are fundamentally social beings. And as we navigate this journey called life, it is important that we identify which category people fall into so that we don’t over-trust or under-trust people. People may enter our lives due to fate; however, we should not be blinded by this and disregard the personal accountability concept: red flags through mutual association should not be repeated. Hence, reflect upon each interaction you’ve had, start prioritising the people who add value to your life and don’t forget to thank and appreciate them - Every moment counts!
Image Source: Pixabay
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