I believe that if we were to be honest with ourselves, most of us could come up with three names of people we've encountered on life's path -- (1) those we wish we could have met a little earlier in life, (2) those we wish would have crossed our paths later in life, and (3) those we wish that had never come into our lives at all. I'm about 6 weeks away from my 55th birthday and as I look back on those decades of life I can certainly think of at least one person for each of those three categories.
No, I'm not going to write a name for each of the three categories. Actually, I have a strong feeling that the people I am thinking of would personally know which category they fall into.
We meet so many different people in our lifetime, but not all of us have the same type of encounters. For instance, there are people who end up in relationships that are abusive. Some experience physical abuse, while others experience emotional or verbal abuse... and still others who experience all forms of abuse. We meet and get to know people who are workaholics, alcoholics, foodaholics, and other types of "holics." We meet people who are inspirational, encouraging, enthusiastic, and role models. We also meet people who are lazy, self absorbed, demanding, and argumentative. We meet dedicated employees, upright people of faith, and honest souls -- and we meet the opposite of those.
No matter your age or status in life, think about the types of people you've met on life's journey so far. There is likely one person that you wish you could have met a little earlier, and one person that you wish would have come along later in life. And yes, there most likely is at least one person that you wish had never come into your life at all -- saving you from intense heartache and suffering, and not the type that necessarily leads to a positive revelation of 'self' or a better place in life. Sometimes, we have people come into our lives that cause more harm than good, more destruction than construction, and more pain than gain.
Regardless, we can rest assured in this: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). The promise there is that God can and will work all things together for our good, and the good is that He will work all things together to make us more like Jesus Christ. So in every relationship, every interaction with another person, whether we see it as good or bad, positive or negative, healthy or unhealthy... in every one God is with us and He is for us, and He will use it for our good, for our spiritual growth, and to make us more like Jesus Christ. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
