March 29, 2012
When Forevers become Temporary
PHoto b yCarbonNYC
Life has a funny way of taking some forevers and turning them into temporaries (and vice versa but that talk’s for another day)
Consider the myriad of ways in which this plays out. You know when some people plan and dream or hope for forever with someone special, and they’re so convicted that it’s with that soul forever will be, only to get a bitter let down of ‘oops it was a temporary.’
Or like when a forever friend is no longer there, sometimes because the friendship has run its course, or sometimes because something got in the way. Like death.
When forevers morph into temporaries it can be devastating no matter what your forever was. Though, I have some friends who would love the West Indies Cricket Team’s forever-losing-streak to become a temporary.
But not those kind of instances I mean. I’m referring to the more serious kinds of life alterations that really change people or affect them immensely. I’ve been thinking about why this happens, and how, if one could, lessen the impact of a forever turning into a temporary.
The Nature of Life
Now, I know people say nothing in life lasts forever. So us mortal earthlings like to say. But for the purpose of this blog let’s say forever is a lifetime ok?
What do you do when a forever dream, friend, love, hope, purpose… becomes lost to the temporary or ever-changing nature of life? Do you let go and try to move on? Or for those things that are impossible to let go of, do you pack them away in your internal closet, knowing they’ll be with you forever and just pretend to carry on? (Imagine things fall through with your soul mate, or your life-long career dream, then what?)
Or is it better to not expect any forevers at all, and in this way avoid hurt? So when marriage becomes divorce, love becomes bitter or friends are lost by untimely deaths, we can more easily adjust. Would it be easier?
Nelly Furtado’s haunting lyrics in All Good Things allude to the fleeting nature of life. She sings ‘Flames to dust/ Lovers to friends/Why do all good things come to an end?’
I’d like to know. Of course no amount of questions we ask will alter the nature of life, but maybe by asking questions we might be able to find ways of better transitioning through its disappointing vicissitudes.
Though, tangibles won’t last in this life just as we are but dust in the wind, the greatest consolation probably lies in the fact that there are some things that will always remain: hope, faith and love.
Have you had to deal with a forever turning into a temporary? What was it and how did you deal with the change?
It would be great to hear your thoughts!
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