Blast From The Past – The People We Are Meant To Meet

Do you sometimes wonder why you meet certain people? Well, I do. I also do believe quite strongly in encounters being lessons for you to learn. I strongly believe that you don’t “just” meet someone. Everyone has something to teach you. You might not see it in the beginning but you will eventually. So every encounter, good or bad, will leave you with a lesson. It will leave you with a tool you need in order to grow…

You meet a lot of great people throughout your life. You also meet a lot of idiots. People you would have rather not met. So what do we make of this? Do we struggle with the fact that we’ve encountered an idiot, someone who has maybe hurt us or who has ‘taken something from us’? Maybe… it might make us mad for a while, we might struggle with the idea but in the end we should focus on what we can actually gain from this encounter.

I have encountered some idiots on my way through my life so far. Some of them are people I would prefer not to have met as I really think they are plain mean and totally stupid. But you know, in the end they all gave me something. They all taught me something. And I believe they were meant to make their appearance in my life. They had to show me something, make me realize something. Maybe I did not have a light bulb moment right away but over time somehow it all makes sense.

It’s like the nice people you meet. They too, are there to give you something, to teach you something, to make you realize something. And so are you for them. Sometimes they are like a mirror of you. With all their ups and downs. Over the years I often realized that a person did things exactly the way I would do them but it annoyed the hell out of me. Until I realized that this person was like a mirror in this particular case. And I realized that my approach to certain things was not the way it was supposed to be. So I changed. And things got better.

Yes, I believe that we are meant to meet the people we meet throughout our life. We are meant to spend some time with each and everyone of them, no matter how good or bad they are for us. We are meant to learn something from them and then build on this lesson, so that we can make the next step forward. Sometimes it’s easier to see and sometimes it’s not.

I know how much of a struggle it can be to deal with people who are not good for you. And that’s what they are: Not good for you. Maybe even toxic or dangerous. And you need to get out or get away from them. But then look back and ask yourself what they might have taught you? What their message might have been, what you can take away from this?

I’ve met two ladies in the last 2 years, by coincidence. Well, I’ve met one of them personally and the other one in the virtual world. They both inspired me. I’m sure it was meant to happen. I needed to hear their story, to see what they are doing to move forward. Although it might not be in the same direction they are going, it still taught me to start moving again. To do! Today they are both Facebook connections. I would not even call them friends and still they both are important to me and will probably always be, as they inspired me. Did they do it on purpose? No! Not in my case. But they had a massive impact in my life and I am glad this connection was made.

Funny enough I stumbled across this post while I was writing this. Maybe it was meant to be too 😉 And it basically says exactly the same… It also triggered some more thoughts in me. Especially the part where she says that if you believe that there is meaning behind every encounter, you live your life kinder, more patient and more loving. What a beautiful thought.

And I guess that is probably true. It’s what you want to teach others. To be kind, to be patient and to be loving, gentle and caring. Saying this I do wonder what happens if we try too hard… For sure it will not go unnoticed. It will appear fake, right? So what is the right thing to do? Should we try to be all of the above? Or should we try to be ourselves.

Look, I always go for ‘be yourself’. Because that is the only true thing you can do. But I also believe that you should always try to be the best you can possibly be. Be the best you, you can possibly imagine and try to make yourself even better. Day after day. And take what is offered to you. Take the advice, the inspiration, the motivation others give to you through whatever they do. It’s meant to be. You are meant to receive it and use it. You are meant to build on it and move forward. And it’s okay to take it, to use it as you are giving too.