Rhymes and Reasons

And you wonder where we're going
Where's the rhyme, where's the reason
- John Denver

I believe things happen for a reason. I had a friend once who vehemently disagreed with that. He said that implied that man had no free will. Everything was preordained and there was no point in even trying. I disagreed. I believe things happen for a reason but what you choose to do about it is exactly why we have free will.

I have another friend who doesn't like to hear me say things happen for a reason. She's been through some unimaginable hardships. To say there was a purpose behind these seemingly senseless tragedies is an unkindness and I'm careful not to say that around her. But when senseless things happen, I have to believe that sometimes there is a reason too far removed for me to see or too far away in time for me to comprehend yet - or it would be truly senseless and to me that is unspeakable. So although I may go through frustration or anger or grief this belief helps me get through it because I have faith that there is some larger purpose, if not for me, then for someone else. I may play a role in someone else's larger reason and I accept that. It is not all about me.

There is a newspaper columnist whom I highly respect for his reporting on social issues in the metropolitan area. A year ago he was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. He is still here today and in his column this week, he commented that he has yet to ask the question, "Why me?" I have mixed feelings about that. I understand what he's saying in that you shouldn't ask it from a pity point of view, but I do believe you should ask it from a learning point of view. Whenever I'm thrown into tough circumstances, I ask myself what I can learn from it. Sometimes it takes me a while to get past the anger or the heartache, but eventually, I look for the rhymes and reasons. They're usually there. If not for me, for someone close to me.

A friend of mine posted on Facebook: "Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." Something to think about....