One proverb I’ve never fully agreed with is, “Everything happens for a reason.”

I understand why people say it. Sometimes it’s comforting. It helps us make sense of loss, disappointment, and the things we never saw coming.

But I don’t believe every tragedy happens because it was somehow meant to happen. Abuse, cancer, accidents, heartbreak — I don’t think those are part of some carefully scripted plan.

What I do believe is that meaning can come from what happens.

There is a difference.

Sometimes life is unfair. Sometimes things break. Sometimes people hurt us. And yet — somehow, in the middle of all that — we learn, grow, heal, forgive, or discover strengths we didn’t know we had.

The reason may not be found in the event itself. The reason may be what we choose to do next.

For me, that’s the more hopeful view. Not that everything happens for a reason — but that we can find a reason to keep going after it does.

Published by Jeff

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