do you believe that everything happens for a reason? i actually do–or rather, even rejecting the supposition of a higher power pre-determining this reason, when actions happen, there is reason behind them, and reason to be gained in their happening (reason in the purpose sense, not the logic sense).
i can't quantify how often this thought comes back to me, but it makes my life feel fuller somehow. negative experiences still hurt, but they lose some of their bitter tinge in the thought of what i gain by them: greater perspective, understanding of human nature, understanding of what i want in my life. i know i'm being vague, but it's because i'm thinking of several experiences over the past year, not just one. and i see more and more how, as i said, every experience is an opportunity to be happy. and for me to realize what i need in my life.
isn't that the hallmark tenant of buddhism? my friend paul tells me that his favorite aspect of buddhism is the symbol of the lotus flower. have you ever seen one? they really are very beautiful:
he says it is a buddhist symbol because the lotus can blossom in most any location–a crack in the sidewalk, a pile of refuse; from bad beginnings comes something beautiful and pure.
it reminds me that there is so much room for goodness.
1 comment:
And now it's time for me to blogspot.
If you look at my fb profile, under religoius views, it simply says, "cause and effect."
That is my version of "everything happens for a reason." Things bounce off one another, one thing happens, and even if it's negative, and the effcts ten times forward are also negative, eventually one of the effects is positive. And there would be no way to get to that place without the causes, one after another. Ahhh, I could philosophize all day about that!!!
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