The Reason

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together"....(Marilyn Monroe). I get inspired from many places, numerous people and from quiet moments in nature. Inspiring music touches my soul and people's lives and my own emotions give me unlimited things to write about. I read the above quote from Marilyn Monroe on a friends facebook page. We all can be inspired daily from each other in the most unexpected ways. I just love that about life. I prefer to believe that there is a reason for everything that happens in life. We give life purpose and depth when we appreciate every experience that we go through, including difficult times. Of course it's easy to appreciate life when things are good and flowing nicely. However, its the rough times that make us appreciate the better times even more. In addition, the waves of difficulties we all go through help us discover our unresolved hurts, our vulnerabilities and things we still need to uncover about ourselves. This past year has been illuminating for me. I realized that I had preferred to see people for the way I wanted them to be instead of seeing them for who they are. I guess it's the optimist in me (and therapist) that always sees the persons potential versus just seeing who people are in the moment. Of course people always have the potential to change and transform, but we do not protect ourselves sufficiently if we are seeing what others could be instead of who they are right now. My lesson's have helped me understand more profoundly how everything I've been through was for a reason and I repeat daily that I am grateful for those lessons. More importantly, I see myself more clearly and have come to understand profoundly, what builds me up and nourishes me. Regarding reason though...having faith that there is a higher purpose to everything that happens is different than people trying to rationalize and reason things as punishment, bad luck or feeling helpless because they cannot find a reason as to why bad things happen. The word "reason" is two sided and just like the flipping of a coin....you pick which side youre going to go with. Here are some quotes about reason: “Time heals what reason cannot"...(Seneca). “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man"...(George Bernard Shaw). “The heart has reasons that reason does not understand"...( Jacques Benigne Bossuel). In summary, there is meaning to everything that happens when we write and re-write our lives as epic novels with hardships, love, joy, things to overcome and amazing mountains we climb...only to survive and thrive and to find more mountains to climb. I have realized that the words, "I can't, I shouldn't" and "It"s too difficult" are not reasons to give up or give in and in fact just motivate me more than ever to try harder. The reason for living is to conquer our fears and climb our mountains with courage and love in our hearts.