With the changing of the seasons, friends and loved ones come and go. Some are going off to college far from us; making new adventures and friends. Others are moving away, possibly for good. God only knows if we'll be blessed to see them again. Others are entering new seasons in their own lives. Friends are falling in love and promising their futures in engagement and Holy Matrimony. Children we love and care for, too, are growing up and getting so much older. You hardly recognize them anymore. Soon, they will also move on and live their own lives; possibly away from you.
Maybe you're in one of those changing seasons. If so, congratulations! Enjoy the adventure! But maybe you're not entering a new season of your own yet. You feel stuck, left behind, or lost. The world and everyone around you is changing so fast but you aren't experiencing the change yourself. You just watch from the outside and wish everything would or could slow down. You know changes are going to leave awful holes in your heart; whether or not they're exciting. How are we supposed to fix these holes? How can we possibly patch up the empty places left behind?
The answer is, you can't fill these holes; not with something new. The only things that can remain are sweet memories. So instead of replacing and trying to patch up these holes, we must allow our hearts to grow and expand with the love we have for others, ourselves, and Our Lord. It is so important to cherish the memories you have; not only in the future when they are long in your past, but in the present moment while you're making them as well. Look around and see the wonderful people, places, and things Our Lord has placed in your life.
One of my friends just moved away to a new state. I'd only known him since January, but we had become great friends and made many fun memories together. In the days before he left, we all carried on, just making those memories and not worrying about the future. Now that he's moved, we all miss him very much, but we will forever treasure the hikes, late-night chats, swing dancing, game nights, tea runs, Bible studies, and fun times together. Sometimes God gives us friends for a time to help us grow or teach us lessons but no good friend should ever be forgotten. Besides for treasuring the memories of that special person, we must continue to pray for them. Even if we never see them on this earth again, we must pray that we both make it to Heaven to spend eternity together with Our Lord! This is the goal of our life, is it not? What a glorious thought this is then, that we will get to have one big party with God and our friends all together for ETERNITY! I just can't wait.
My lifelong childhood best friend is leaving for college shortly and I am just not ready for that. I know she'll do amazing things, have a wonderful time, and make great new friends. I'm so excited for her to spread her wings and expand her soul. But I can't help feeling sad. Nevertheless, we have to remember that our friendship has withstood so much. God won't let it be broken by distance or time apart. We must continue to nurture and cherish this friendship even in this new season. We can stay in touch and cherish the times together over the holidays even more.
My point in all of this is that we can't let change tear us apart or break us down. We have to be thankful for the blessings God has given us, cherish the times we have together, and let this change grow and shape us for the better. Then, we can look to the future and forge relationships with new friends. Allow your other good friends to support you. Be a good friend that they need too. Friendships may not always stay the same throughout our lives, but the ones that we have invested in will grow and, God willing, stand the test of time.
Most importantly, remember that we have one Friend who never changes and will never, ever leave us. God is always by our side cheering us on, supporting us, and loving us. Remember that and talk to Him about your friends. He understands because He too had friends on this earth. He laughed and cried with them and then He was all alone in His Passion when they fled in fear. Be a good friend to Jesus as He is to you. Stay by His side even when it is tough and when no one else will. Then, our victory in Heaven will be that much sweeter. Allow your heart to expand in love with the changing of the seasons and look forward to our true home where we will spend all eternity with Our Lord and our friends. What an eternity that will be!!
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