A Lesson or a Gift?

Have you ever met someone that you would usually ignore, dismiss or convince yourself you have nothing in common with?

As humans, we are very quick to judge each other and put one another into boxes. We see the visible differences and tend to focus on these. We filter the other person through our complicated life experiences and what we know; what makes us feel secure. Often we are guilty of ignoring the potential for commonality that exists somewhere within us all.

So when two worlds collide without warning, there’s a more significant reason waiting to play out.

Living completely different lives, with different values, these people would not usually have met, or given each other the time of day. Judgements would have been quickly made on both sides about the other. But their paths have crossed in the most unlikely of circumstances for a reason. Why?

Because everything in life is a lesson or a gift.

This chance meeting is no different; is it even by chance? My friend’s mum shared this with her while she was growing up; it really resonates with me. In fact, it makes me smile. As hard as it can be to accept this at the time, there’s much truth in this statement. Sometimes we confuse our lessons and gifts and get them around the wrong way. At the time we can’t see the blessing in the failed relationships (platonic or romantic), that ultimately take us one step closer to finding ourselves and our soulmates. Or we believe someone is in our life as a gift, but eventually, they become one of our biggest and most painful lessons.

Learning how to connect with others on a soul level is vital to help us keep our own prejudices at bay.

When we begin to master the art of taming our ego and step into our heart space with every interaction we have, we look at others and life from another angle, through an alternative lens. And just by doing this, we are able to see the richness of life and the people in it. We start to notice the good in each other, rather than the things that we would like to change. We accept the differences because they are on the surface, not skin deep. Our perspectives shift, and our compassion for others deepens.

So look for and be thankful for the gifts life offers us, but also embrace the lessons.

Sometimes the teaching becomes the greatest blessing imaginable, despite the journey to get there being so painful you can’t breathe. For me, it was the opportunity to start life again, to be given a second chance. Now I am not only breathing, but I am living a life I could have only once imagined, even if it hasn’t turned out exactly as I would have wished. But here too is the gift, in knowing that everything will work out precisely how it is supposed to, at just the right time. It always does, and it will for you too, keep trusting!

With love,

Sarah x