There have been many times in my life where I have subscribed to the notion that everything happens for a reason.
But if we are being honest, I do not whole-heartedly believe this. It kind of bothers me- because I’m often hypocritical when I say everything happens for a reason to explain things like why our house didn’t sell the first time (by golly! that happened for a reason, because now we’re moving to a different state- which we wouldn’t have been able to do if our house sold last year!) But other things? (likemyhusbandhavingastrokeat32yearsold?) I scream bloody murder at the universe – WHAT POSSIBLE REASON COULD MAKE THIS OKAY?! WHAT IS THIS TEACHING ME?! (besidesthatlifetrulysuckssometimes?!).
I don’t know how to reconcile between these two extremes. I admire people who have consistent faith in something (whatever that may be), who are unwavering in their belief. But I just don’t think I’m one of them. But at the same time, I can’t believe that everything is truly just random can I? Or can I?
So, while I don’t know if I believe that everything happens for a reason, I do believe (and who can really argue?) that things happen. How I choose to react to those things, I suppose, is where the lesson truly lies. Do I learn from them or do I wallow? Most of the time, I really do try and learn. But there are days – more than I care to admit – that I wallow. Usually when it’s something I feel helpless about (like infertility. kidney disease. politics.), but sometimes I wallow in stupid little things that don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
There are so many people out there trying to figure out the meaning of life. Hence why we come up with phrases like everything happens for a reason. To make sense out of the bad, and celebrate the good. I think, in our own ways though, we are all trying to figure out the meaning of our own life. What do I do? What’s my purpose?
I’m trying to settle down and trust that my purpose is to be here. To work at a job I love. To support my family and friends. To challenge myself. To choose to be kind. To interact with my environment in a meaningful way. To play with my dogs. To learn. To teach. To love. And that? It just might be enough.
So- maybe everything happens for a reason, maybe it doesn’t. But life is happening right now. And I want to make the most of it. So I will choose to keep learning and growing from what happens to me, limit my wallowing, and let the universe teach me what it will – whether it has a reason or not.
