Coincidence?

You can always here people saying "...everything happens for a reason...". The topic of discussion could be finding a great sale to meeting your "soul mate" or even death - everything happens for a reason. It's almost as if that is the one universal accepted opinion that transcends all ages, political views or even religion. Everyone seems to give that 'nod of acknowledgement' to indicate it would be a) appropriate to change the subject or b) that no further explanation is needed or c) that sometimes it is okay when you agree to disagree.

Not be left out, I too have uttered these words a time or two (or many, who's counting?). However, I haven't really (on occasion) truly believed it - even as the words leaked through my lips. Certainly, I am not the only person to question the purpose of my existence and am definitely not the only person to have had my faith renewed by some serendipitous experience. But seriously, at my core, do I really believe that everything happens for a reason? This would mean that basically life is a series of random probabilities formed by infinite combinations that somehow materialized out of some apparent predetermined plan. That's a lot to absorb, don't you think?

I will concede that the older I get the more comforting it is to think "everything happens for a reason". Why not? It's easy, relieves me of accepting any responsibility for my actions (or lack thereof) and believed by so many - it must be true! Perhaps I should just sit here then and wait for life happen. I mean, who am I to interfere with 'reason'? Hmmm...

Nah, that doesn't really sound like me. Instead, think I'll get a copy of that aforementioned "plan", albeit elusive, and modify as necessary. I may make a few more mistakes and in the end wish I'd made better adjustments... but hey, you know what they say. Everything happens for a reason...

Happy Monday!