The Gift

One of the all-time best and most painful gifts I’ve received came from a sermon from Bishop T.D. Jakes.  So you ask what can be a great gift yet is painful, it’s the gift of goodbye.  It’s the gift of being able to recognize people and situations that no longer add or contribute to your life in a positive way and only take away from you.  It’s the job where you consistently work 60 to 80 hours a week only to be told that’s what is expected from the job rather than a simple thank you for what you do.  It’s the relationships, be it friendships or romantic, where the others are one-way and selfish, have zero respect for your time, and assume you will be there for them on their time.  It’s that so called friend you only hear from when they need something.

I’ve never found the gift of goodbye to be fun but have found it to be necessary. When I get in these situations, I do a little merits/limitations analysis.  That’s the process of literally writing down the merits/good things and the limitations/not so good things about the person or situation.  For me, it helps my analytical mind process when I see it in writing.  There are just times where people and situations need to be removed from our lives because they are unhealthy on all levels.  Not all gifts come in a box with a nice bow.  Some come in the way of life lessons.  The gift of goodbye is seldom fun but often necessary.