By: Iyo_Embong

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be.  Possibly your roommate or neighbour, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger. But when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become.

Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to when you open your heart.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally. Not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Respect those people who find time for you even in their busy schedule. But really love those people who never see their schedule and their own needs when you need them.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Walk the footsteps of a stranger and you’ll learn things you never know.

Look into that closed room, the empty chamber where brightness is born! Fortune and blessing gather where there is stillness. Let your ears and eyes communicate with what is inside, and put mind and knowledge on the outside. The answers cannot be found in the words; however be found in the silence that embraces all sounds. Behind all words is the limitation of the mind to this possibility.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself. For if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make of your life anything you wish. Without hurting anyone, create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

“The past is a guidepost, not a hitching post.” Don’t let the pain of one season destroy your joy of all the rest. Don’t judge your life by one difficult season. It’s not about how FAST we grow; it’s about how STRONG we grow.

By: Iyo_Embong 2012©Copyright. Any distribution, reproduction or copying of any part of this article is forbidden. If you wish to use this article please only use the first 2-3 lines as an excerpt and link back directly to the article along with the Authors name.