Does everything happen for a reason?

musicismylife78

I am a believer of this idea.

Anyone else?

South of Seattle

I believe Anhimus would chime in here. But he has gone the way of the Dodo.

But to answer you question. I kinda believe in that. I have no way to prove it, so I guess I'll just believe.

prism

I'd love to be able to think that, however...

....when shitty things happen to good people and good things happen to shitty people...it makes it really hard to see what the reason may be

stargirl69

There's a beautiful Buddhist saying that I love and would like to believe its:

"A Snowflake Never Falls In The Wrong Place"

I would like to believe everything happens for a reason,it allow's growth and learning,good or bad.

musicismylife78

completely agree about the bad events part.

however, in A new Earth by the author of The Power of Now, the author talks about how the all the awful events in the world, wars, death, violence, global warming etc... that confusion and scary and horrifying time, can cause people to find themselves, to start to try and identify their purpose in life. I guess its the idea that scary events cause people to choose sides, it forces them to do something with their life.

in that way, the world situation as it is, is sickening and makes my stomach queasy, but at the same time, it has forced me to try and find myself, find my purpose, etc...

interesting thoughts.

KosmicJelli

Good or bad everthing is for a reason...

Jeanie

No

FinsburyParkCarrots

No, we can shape events with almost frightening randomness.

prism

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

No, we can shape events with almost frightening randomness.

exactly. there's alot of things that try as i might there just wasn't and will never be any reason for why it happened.

redrock

To a point, you may shape some events to a certain 'conclusion' but I believe the event still happens for a reason.

For example, you cannot 'shape' say, your partner's death, but how you deal with it and what implications it may have on you and your future life could be the point of the event. Action and reaction.

given2fly78

Yes, I do believe this.

Good and bad, I think that we're all on the path that we're meant to be on. That doesn't give an excuse for our actions and behaviours. But it means to me that I'm where I'm meant to be. No matter what happens. And I have to believe that there is a reason for it. And through good and bad, I have the strength to deal with it all.

Brain of J.Lo

prism wrote:

I'd love to be able to think that, however...

....when shitty things happen to good people and good things happen to shitty people...it makes it really hard to see what the reason may be

Ditto.

I used to believe everything happened for a reason. I took comfort in this idea when my dad died unexpectedly when I was 17. But...what could possibly be the reason for some of the atrocities that people experience during their lives? Is it to teach them a lesson? To teach the rest of us a lesson? If someone's shitty luck is happening to teach ME a lesson, then that fucking sucks.

soulsinging

no, i think most things happen by chance or dumb luck. but i also think you can turn something into a reason for something else. i feel like a contradiction becos i can't explain it. im a big fan of a book called 'the alchemist.' it's a very simple story, a parable really. and it made me think. i dont know if id say everything happens for a reason, i think there's often not a lot of sense or reason in what happens. but i DO think that every time a door closes, a window opens somewhere else. i know there's a saying roughly like that. and i believe it. i dont think things happen with the purpose of moving people in particular directions, but i do believe that even terrible blows provide new options.

jamie uk

radiohead33 wrote:

completely agree about the bad events part.

however, in A new Earth by the author of The Power of Now, the author talks about how the all the awful events in the world, wars, death, violence, global warming etc... that confusion and scary and horrifying time, can cause people to find themselves, to start to try and identify their purpose in life. I guess its the idea that scary events cause people to choose sides, it forces them to do something with their life.

in that way, the world situation as it is, is sickening and makes my stomach queasy, but at the same time, it has forced me to try and find myself, find my purpose, etc...

interesting thoughts.

Can't see it myself.
Sounds like you, or indeed anyone, re-evaluates after certain events, still don't think that said events took place just so as you, or me or anyone else, could have thoughts about them.
That make sense ? I suppose what I;m saying is no, I don't believe things happen for a reason, not all things...it's a crazy notion really.
Here's a recent example...yesterday a local guy, age 55, was going to work on his motorbike, as he's done every day for the last 10 years or so. Happily married, 2 grown up children, respectable, hard working, salt of the earth fella....a lorry pulls out and kills him. What was the reason for that? So that everyone else around here can re-think their lives, lest it happen to them? So the lorry driver can spend the rest of his days in torment, maybe even a few years in jail..?
Sorry, it was a random event, brought on by human error.....no reason, no point.

harmless_little_f***

Nope, not everything has an inherent reason for happening, but we have an amazing ability to glean reasons for things happening, and that helps us to piece our lives together meaningfully and fashion a path for ourselves...

Or something.

GreenTeaDisease

no. my dad is always saying this, and I've always thought he was full of shit.

saying everything happens for a reason is like saying it's good luck when a bird poops on your head- you're just trying to make someone feel better when something bad happens. It's just a saying, it has no basis in reality.

given2fly78

Well, it's kind of like the saying that "When one door closes another one opens"

Or maybe it's a way for me to justify some of the things that happend in my life.

I often wonder WHY my dad had a massive cerebral aneurysm. Why? Why is he brain damaged? Why is my family different now? But if I really look at it, think about it........there must be a reason (other than genetics). I've been blessed by so many gifts that came out of that. The time I spent with my dad in the hospital. The ability to really reflect on life and the true meaning of family, friends, the gift of having people around you. The time that I had before he had the annie. The true meaning of love. The things you'll do for people you care about. Personal strength I never knew I had.

That's just one example. And sure, there are days I do lose perspective and get caught up in my own shit, but I come back down. I think back to November 7, 2002 and it all comes flying back. But I think it happened for a reason.

My own opinion, my own experience. And maybe it is just justifying a bad situation.

And when bad things happen to good people? I don't know. But I do believe that what goes around comes around. So when bad people get away with shit, they WILL get theirs. It may not be in this lifetime....

given2fly78

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

no. my dad is always saying this, and I've always thought he was full of shit.

saying everything happens for a reason is like saying it's good luck when a bird poops on your head- you're just trying to make someone feel better when something bad happens. It's just a saying, it has no basis in reality.

Oh, when I saw a bird shit on my sisters head in San Fran, I laughed my head off. And when my mom told her it was good luck, I laughed even harder.

She got PISSED!

Or, when they say it rains on your wedding day it's good luck. I find that funny too.

GreenTeaDisease

given2fly78 wrote:

Oh, when I saw a bird shit on my sisters head in San Fran, I laughed my head off. And when my mom told her it was good luck, I laughed even harder.

She got PISSED!

Or, when they say it rains on your wedding day it's good luck. I find that funny too.

exactly. it's the same thing.

aspoonfulweighsaton

given2fly78 wrote:

Yes, I do believe this.

Good and bad, I think that we're all on the path that we're meant to be on. That doesn't give an excuse for our actions and behaviours. But it means to me that I'm where I'm meant to be. No matter what happens. And I have to believe that there is a reason for it. And through good and bad, I have the strength to deal with it all.

I agree 100%.

We have a winner!

GreenTeaDisease

I have a hard time believing that I chose my current job as part of some overriding define path I'm supposed to be on. I think it was just a mistake on my part, a bad decision, period.