I watched a TED Talk titled “Everything Happens for a Reason’ and Other Lies I Loved.” This TED Talk was about changing the way we look at events in our lives. The speaker, Kate Bowler, was at a point where everything felt like it was going right. She was married to the love of her life, had a child after years of trying, and had her dream job. She even wrote a book called “Blessed” about this. Then, one day at work, she got a call from her doctor’s office saying that she had stage 4 stomach cancer and had to go to the hospital immediately. She describes her first thought as being, “But I have a son.”

This is what sparked the idea in her mind that the way we think should change. She researched Christian gospel as part of her job. Her specific topic of interest was something called Prosperity Gospel. She studied the concept of God’s reasons and plans for us. She explained how she never really believed this gospel and was just looking at it in an academic way. Yet, when she got the news of her diagnosis, she realized it may be more ingrained into her mind than she thought.

She argues that the idea that everything happens for a reason is a common belief, even if we don’t realize it. She explains how it has become a part of pop culture, especially with social media. She says that #Blessed is used so often for seemingly random things. When she wrote about her experiences and belief that there isn’t a reason something like that happen, she was met with countless letters and emails arguing the opposite. Some say God had a reason she got cancer. Some questioned how she could live thinking like that.

She then explained her new way of thinking. When she thought, she was going to die soon, she felt something she didn’t expect: love. She didn’t feel the need to know a reason, but she did feel a connection to all the people around her. She explains how that everyone just wants to feel like their actions will pay off. Yet, she knew that this feeling of connectivity would go away.

She reached out to various religious people to seek advice about her feelings. She was told that the feeling will go away, and there is no way you can plan to get them back. One of the people she asked told her that the feelings will leave, but that they are like rising tides and will leave imprints. 

She applied this idea to all of her life and how she thought about the bad events. She ended the talk urging us to learn how to not always want a reason. She said that bad things will happen, and it can feel like there is nothing left, but there is always some beauty in darkness.

This TED Talk was far more personal than any speech I have seen. It was more vulnerable. She cried at some parts and joked at others. It all felt very raw and conversational. She only had a few visuals, and they were just pictures. It felt more as if she was telling a story. I would classify this as more of a presentation, but not in the traditional sense. She didn’t present anything physical, but she presented a story.