Do things happen for a reason?

[Changenow]

Many years ago a friend said after a tragedy in her life, that things happen for a reason. I was oblivious to religion at the time and still thought the comment made sense. Life is full of lessons, I thought, and we would be wise to learn them.

But now that the world is on the edge I have been asking myself that question again. Why? Is there really a pattern that we need to observe?

[Systematic Chaos]

1. My opinion (and 50 cents will get you a pay phone call)

I don't believe in predestination but I do believe in karma. I think that we're mostly the captains of our own ships but that the choices we make will often come back to either haunt us or benefit us in unexpected ways.

Collective consciousness, as opposed to "God's Plan", if you will. :)

[Changenow]

2. A phone call costs .50?

In one way or another your bad acts haunt you, I agree.

[Systematic Chaos]

5. Yeah, you're right, sort of....

Here in Vegas they're either .25 or .35 at most pay phones, but in the casinos they're mostly .50.

I'm so used to that from my job that I forget it's cheaper elsewhere.

[silverweb]

3. I have two precepts...

...that in my own experience have proven to be true time and again. They are:

1. Everything happens for a reason.
2. No knowledge is useless.

Sometimes it takes years of perspective to find meaning in certain events and sometimes we have to find our own meaning in the aftermath. However, I believe that this life is nothing more or less than a classroom, and every experience is part of the lesson plan.

Just imho, of course. :)

[Deja Q]

4. Yeah, when people sit back - they get steamrollered and spat on!

The next lesson is when we take back our country!

[Changenow]

6. That’s not exactly what I had in mind.

but it is another Great Truth.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Well...

if you're into astrology, kharma, the finger of the Divine leading events, other dimensions, etc. that's one thing. Everything does happen for a reason, although we rarely know what it is.

Most of us, though, even many of the aforesaid, see the "reason" to be introspection and realigning or reaffirming our own beliefs. Tragedies happen, and should make us stronger. We learn to avoid the tragedies we can, and deal with those we can't.

In all cases, it is part of the journey. The journey may have a destination, but it is the road you take there that is the important thing.

[TrogL]

8. Other than synchronicity and the archetypes

life is random

[ProudGerman]

9. In other words

Shit happens. Heh

Nothing happens for a reason, unless you make it happen. Though unexpected actions do allow opportunities, no matter how bad they are originally deemed to be. For instance, a man finds out his wife is cheating on him, divorces and a few years later, finds a more wonderful woman. His wife cheating on him didn't cause him to meet this more wonderful woman, but the subsequent divorce afforded him the opportunity to pursue the more wonderful woman.

Of course, if the unexpected action kills you, then you don't have anymore opportunities.:P

[GOPBasher]

10. Well the optimist in me says

that good will be the final outcome of this; that the overreaching of the corporate fascists will be their undoing; that the outrage of good people around America and around the world will explode into a massive movement for peace; that people around America will stand up for the environment and economic justice; that the misery that Bush is causing is a much-needed temporary stimulus to get the rest of us to start acting.

Then the pessimist in me says that we're up Shit Crick without a paddle.