The Same Story

We had some friends over yesterday for lunch. It was necessarily a "pleasant" experience for all of us. Have you ever had a lunch like that? They both told the same story from different perspectives. It sounded like completely different stories; but because we know them, we know it's the same story. We also know that both stories are truthful. It's really interesting how perspective can change something so dramatically and how our feelings can shade our realities. I really believe that God puts people in our lives for a reason and that even painful moments (or years) can make us better people. Part of me thinks it's easy to retreat when we are hurt and try to regroup or give up entirely and quit. The other half thinks there is a deep need to push through until you reach a new place - to go full steam ahead carefully in order to reach a better destination. Not just for one person, but for both of them. We care for them both a great deal and we, from the outside, can see another perspective again. It's not hopeless. It's not futile. It's a very important journey! I feel a little sad because I don't know the end to the story. We haven't reached it yet.