The year was 1992 sometime near the end of February and I was returning from Nova Scotia to Vancouver via Toronto after spending several weeks with my mother who at the time was critically ill. As it was, I was using “points” for this flight since at that particular time in my life, I did not possess very much money but was fortunate enough to have accrued enough credit with the airline to be able to make this trip. Upon arriving in Toronto and while waiting for my connecting flight to Vancouver, I sat next to a young man who’s age I would have guessed to be late twenties or early thirties. He indicated he had just spent a month visiting with his mother and this was probably the last time he would see her as he revealed to me that he was in the final stages of a terminal illness. As it turned out, we were on the same flight to Vancouver and he told me he had tried to get a window seat as he really wanted the opportunity to see his country from the air is this would in all likliehood be his final trip across Canada. Unfortuantely the boarding agent had told him there were no window seats available for this flight. I then looked at my boarding pass for the flight and realized I had a window seat. I excused myself and went to the gate agent and explained to her that I would like to give this young man my seat and would in turn take his middle seat which was further down the aisle on the aircraft and asked her not to tell the young man I had made his request for a window seat possible. The agent then looked at her colleague and back at me and they both had tears in their eyes as she handed me my new boarding pass and then went over to the young man to let him know a window seat had become available. By this time, the flight was boarding and I watched from a distance as the young man slowly and with some difficulty got up from his seat and proceeded down the gangway and onto the aircraft before I myself headed that way and upon arriving at the door of the plane was met by both gate agents I had met earlier as well as the captain, the latter who invited me to be seated in the forward cabin of the aircraft which I thought a bit strange at the time. Upon landing in Vancouver, I looked for the young man as I wanted to ask him if he had enjoyed the flight. I did not see him leave the aircraft nor was I able to locate him in the luggage area nor outside the arrival area of the terminal. In fact, I never saw him again and have to this day no idea who he was or how long he may have lived after our meeting. On the many occassions I have had to fly back and forth across Canada, I have often reflected on that day back in February 1992 when I met a complete stranger and how in the space of a very short time he managed to change how I viewed the frailty of life and the wonderful gift we are given from the time we take our first breath until we breathe our last. As I sit here putting together this I am reminded of the poem possibly written by the Polish poet, Aleksandra Lachut which I have pasted below and called:
A R EA S O N A S E A S O N O R A L I F E T I M E
| People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on. When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
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So, the question for you, I guess is: did this young man come into my life for a reason, a season or a lifetime? I will leave it to the reader to ponder this for themselves and come to their own conclusion. As for myself, I know today I have the answer and know who I have to thank.