“Everything happens for a reason.”
Something I have heard my mom say many times, and I firmly believe in. Whether it is something small, or something large, I believe there is a larger plan set out for us which encompass many different turns and failures along the way. At first, these turns can appear as hindrances in our lives, and can result in frustration and thoughts of, “Why me,” “Why now.”
Growing up going to church, I believe in God overseeing my life and setting me on a path that will lead me to my future. Hearing my mom tell me everything happens for a reason, put me in a mindset that no matter what happens, good or bad, it was meant to happen. It may take a while to realize why it happened, and in some scenarios there is no telling why something happened – but in cases like those I just believe in God and his ultimate plan for me.
Scenarios happen to me every day where I think, “Ugh, why…” but then I remember my mindset, and it really just helps put an optimistic spin on my life. For example, this past summer I had applied for many internships, and got rejected from many internships. I was extremely upset, as all my friends seemed to be accepting their internships day after day, when I did not. It was not until I got a call from the last internship I was waiting to hear back from, that I remembered my thought of everything happens for a reason. I had been denied all of the prior internships because I was meant to be accepted to this one. I had an amazing summer with that internship and could not have asked for a better experience.
It really is interesting to think about the fact of every single action, decision, and scenario we have experienced in our lives thus far, has led us to this exact moment. Similar to the previous internship scenario, was my experience picking a college. I had applied to 15 colleges, got into most, but not all, and ended up at Penn State. Why? I really do not know, because I liked other colleges better before applying and really did not have any connection to Penn State prior to coming here – so it was a bit out of nowhere that I ended up here. That being said, and everything happening for a reason, I have found my best friends, and my boyfriend of over a year now, and could not be happier.
One big scenario I still struggle with, is the death of my best friend. It was a true, sudden tragedy, and I still find myself looking back on the day thinking I could have somehow prevented it. I often still think, “Why?” and how it is not fair. But, in the process of grieving this death, I found comfort in the thought of everything happens for a reason. Yes, it is tough to find the reason for her death, and I don’t think I will ever figure it out, but by constantly reminding myself that everything happens for a reason, I find some comfort thinking that Carly was placed in my life for a specific reason by God, and by the time of her death, she had fulfilled her job that God set her out to fulfill in my life. I feel somewhat guilty thinking this way, but when I think of everything I truly learned from her time in my life, I am truly grateful for knowing her for the time I did.
“Everything happens for a reason.”
Troublesome situations become easier with this mindset, and good scenarios seem amplified. I believe in it every day, as every day, I wake up for a reason.