A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

By Wayne Hinton

February 10, 2015

Friends come and go through the years.

Some we miss as time goes by.

Whatever happened to so and so, we ask,

We lost track and don’t even know why.

We were very close to some of them

In our younger days.

But as we age, our memory

Sees them in different ways.

Did the “Male Most Likely to Succeed” really succeed?

Or did he end up just scraping by?

Is the “Most Photogenic Girl” still pretty,

Is she still svelte and spry?

We all have added years to our lives,

Except for those who have died.

And though we once were close as can be,

Now we are scattered far and wide.

Do the twins still look a lot alike?

Are the athletes still athletic?

Or have they all developed like so many?

Health and age making them pathetic.

If somehow we can talk with them again,

Will they remember you at all?

Or will they have to be super honest

And say they don’t remember at all?

If they remember, how will it be?

Will it be with kindness or not?

Remember, our view of the relationship

May not be what we thought.

Why were they in our lives?

Did you ever think of that?

We knew them only a very short time,

It might have only been a chat.

God only knows the answer to that.

We don’t have as much control

As we think we might have had

We all were playing a role.

On the stage we call life,

There are many characters and roles.

Some are only cameos

While others will share out goals.

Those who share our goals, we hope,

Will stick around for a time

While we reach and learn

How to scale our mountain to climb.

Once the mountain has been conquered,

Those friends, too, may be gone.

We hear about them from time to time,

Their memory lingers on.

It’s been said that each of us

Has, at best, five lifetime friends.

They are few and far between,

But this friendship never ends.

There is a suggestion for each of us to follow.

Why not reach out to find those souls

Who helped us along the way?

Find out if they, each one, met their goals.

Tell them how much you appreciate

The role they played in your life.

Thank them for contributing their advice

When you were going through some strife.

Send a note to those who may be grieving

From the loss of someone held dear.

It may be you can ease their sadness

By lending them your ear.

While you’re at it, don’t forget

Those you may have alienated.

Offer them a sincere apology.

It just might be appreciated.

Remember, every person you have known,

Was placed into your life’s climb

By God, who knew what you needed,

For a reason, a season or a lifetime.