RELATIONSHIPS

There was a time when I thought one relationship had to be everything.

Your best friend.

Your greatest love.

Your travel companion.

Your dance partner.

Your biggest supporter.

The person you shared every moment with.

But as I’ve got older, life has taught me something different.

Different people come into our lives for different reasons.

Some make us laugh until our cheeks hurt.

Some challenge us to grow.

Some are wonderful to travel with.

Some are the friends you call for coffee.

Some are the people you can dance the night away with.

Some walk beside you through life’s toughest moments.

Some simply remind you who you are.

None of those relationships are less valuable because they don’t fulfil every role.

In fact, life becomes richer when we stop expecting one person to be our everything and start appreciating each person for the unique gift(s) they bring.

Ironically, that’s also when relationships become healthier.

They’re no longer built on expectation.

They’re built on appreciation.

As I’ve embraced this season of my life, I’ve realised something beautiful…

I don’t need one thing to be everything.

I simply need to treasure each person, each experience and each chapter for what it is.

Life has a remarkable way of giving us exactly what we need…

often through many different people.

Today, take a quiet moment to think about the people who have been part of your journey.

Who taught you courage?

Who showed you kindness?

Who made you laugh?

Who challenged you to grow?

Who helped you heal?

Who opened your heart?

Who simply walked beside you when you needed someone most?

Perhaps every relationship wasn’t meant to last forever.

Perhaps each one was simply meant to leave you with a gift.

And when you look at your life that way…

you realise you’ve been far more loved, supported and shaped than you may have ever realised.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who has found so many of these qualities in one person… treasure them. They truly are a rare gift.