Always Remember That Timing Is Everything

People come in and out of our lives at the exact perfect moments.

Sometimes we can’t understand why something turned out the way that it did. Maybe a relationship ended before it even started, a friendship changed paths, or a relationship ended with no real closure.

Sometimes it takes years for everything to make sense, and sometimes it’s evident right away. Life challenges us. It dangles happiness right in front of us and gives us the choice to react. Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t. We may not always understand in the moment, but whether we want it or not, the understanding almost always happens.

Once, there was a guy (go figure). We didn’t hang out much, but he made such a mark on me. Because of him, I made it home from a work trip in time to say goodbye to my grandmother before she passed away. I fell in love with my city’s NFL team. All my friends look forward to the annual tailgates I’m known for co-hosting. My friend and I have followed the team from city to city for games and events throughout the years leading to more and more friends and experiences that would have never happened if not for this guy. Though I mentioned it to him once, it’s doubtful he has any clue that he is the reason for so much of the happiness and adventure in my life. We spoke briefly for a short period last summer and ended our correspondence on a positive note. Timing of life didn’t work out for us, but his last text to me will be one I cherish forever.

Once upon a long time ago, I had a friendship with someone that other people either envied, judged, or just didn’t understand. The two of us were inseparable, bickered constantly, but knew what the other was thinking before they had the chance to speak it. We were more like sisters than friends, dropping anything and everything for each other on a regular basis. Neither of us thought that anything could ever come between our friendship, but something eventually did. This best-friendship ending was worse than any breakup with any guy I have ever had. We went from telling each other everything to not talking at all. It was awful. After several months of silence, we sort of rekindled our friendship on a much lower level. Sure, we are still friends, but it is doubtful that we will ever get back to that rock-solid friendship that neither of us thought could ever be destroyed. Our priorities have shifted and we continue to grow further and further apart while we each work on ourselves and growing new friendships. Sadly, those friendships can’t and won’t ever compare to the friendship her and I once had, but they are each unique and special in their own way.

After a recent breakup, I kept questioning why I ever had to meet this guy. Despite the short “relationship,” I’d become smitten with someone who ended up not feeling the same way for me. After all the bad relationships I’d had in the past, I just couldn’t understand why it was necessary for this guy to come in and out of my life so abruptly. In an effort to let it go, I kept going on date after meaningless date with several different guys like it was my full-time job. I grew tired of the same old bs and was just about to call it quits when something I didn’t foresee happened. As I was wrapping up few straggling conversations on dating apps, there was one guy who was being a little persistent. Unfortunately, he wasn’t my type and I was only interested in him as a friend. Right as I was about to write him off, it came to my attention that we had a mutual “friend”. (I’m sure you figured out who that “friend” was). Despite us having this mutual “friend,” I agreed to meet up with him anyway after a little more of his persistence. We hit it off better than anyone else I have ever been out with. The conversations flowed easily and to my own surprise, I was very interested in him. Before I knew it, we were in an exclusive relationship and making plans to travel both near and far. While I have no idea where this is going, if not for the common “friend”, I’d have never given this wonderful guy a chance and would have missed out on all of the positive experiences we have shared so far.

Life has a funny way of working out. We may not always understand it in the moment, but eventually, all the pieces fall into place. Timing is everything.