Do things happen for a reason

[Moonturnsthetides]

The saying things happen for a reason, do you believe that? I feel like I could and have consciously made decisions that have led my life to be more difficult. I don’t believe the saying. You make your own life and the people that are in it are just in it. I used to have a romanticized vision of life, not anymore. 

[Gabriel Antonio]

I don't like that saying. It can be used to justify passivity. 

[rNOW]

It hurts a lot when something tragic happens in your life and people throw that saying to your face. It is no solace. However, I have noticed this about my own life - everything that I did not want to experience has led me to an experience that I wanted. So while I'm careful not to use that saying on someone else's life situation, I like to think it holds true for mine - that even when I don't know the reason something happened, it maybe revealed later on if I'm willing to pay attention. That way I can stop looking at difficulties as punishments and start seeing them as opportunities for wisdom.

"Life doesn't happen to you. Life happens for you."

[Wyatt]

@Shiva 's got a good grasp of this. Reasons aren't objective, they're stories and ideas to justify thoughts and actions and events. On the other hand, there is kind of a reason for everything. Because of all of the things that have happened in the past, it created the opportunity for a thing to happen. So in a way, the past was the reason. 

If you really want to know, contemplate meaning vs meaninglessness

[Nahm]

@Moonturnsthetides Everything is happening for you. Just to experience it.