Everything Happens for a Reason?

Thought for Today
"I know for sure that everything in life happens to help us live." - Oprah

Are you one of those who believes that everything happens for a reason? I ask because I just read an article on the Oprah website about how her golden retreiver passed away, and how everything in life is for a reason. She said how the first thing she did after acknowledging the death was to ask herself, what lesson was this dog "Gracie" supposed to teach me?

That made me think of my own view on the whole theory of "happens for a reason" and truth is, I do believe in it, always have and probably always will. I don't think using this "happens for a reason" is a way to justify being a victim. Or to necessarily believe "oh no...this is happening to me because I'm so horrible" and the whole Karma thing (which sometimes is the case). But I do think a lot of things in life happen which will throw us for a loop and forces us to re-evaluate ourselves, our lives, and what we want.

Oprah's lessoned learned was to slow down....which it seems lately all I hear from people is I'm so tired, I'm so busy, I'm so stressed....what happened to the lazy hazy days of summer?!? Why is everyone so uptight and not enjoying the wonderful season that's so quickly slipping away?

I think a lot of us are guilty of keeping ourselves busy, at times, so we don't think. When we think we're forced to deal with things that we don't necessarily find pleasant. However, the reward and weight off the shoulders when the obstacle is faced, is well worth it.

But theses "loops" in life that we say "happened for a reason" sometimes make us realize that we aren't at all who we thought we are, or we didn't react how we thought we would, yet the end result still teaches us a lesson. Lesson learned...now let's move on :)

That's the joy and wonder of this awesome thing called LIFE!

Take the blows as they come, feel the emotion, take a breath and move on. Experience and live it to the fullest....I finish my ramblings today with this quote:

"Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of your life"