I took a very long time to write this post. Not the actual writing, but the drafting of it and there’s a reason for that.
Most of my posts in the A-Z challenge flowed very easily. This one, on the other hand, made me pause and ponder. It made me draft the words many times over, edit the ideas in my head and it finally sees the published world today.
Because, I believe that whatever happens in my life, there is a reason for it. It’s a principle I live by; a truth that I write by.
There can be happy reasons such as these:
- There is a reason I admire the woman who works in my home, every single day.
- There is a reason I shed a tear when I watch my young girl grow up, right before my eyes.
Or for the less obvious, but equally important ones here:
- There is a reason my family was thrown out of a train between Singapore and Bangkok, back in the early ’80s.
- There is a reason I lost a year of schooling when I went abroad.
- There is a reason I beamed at the end of a tough academic year.
- There is a reason I took up the Yelling Less challenge when I did.
- There is a reason we need to watch our words before we speak.
And there’s even a reason I have done some FUN things:
- Like having this picture taken!
- Or doing these six things which many other parents have done too!
Yes, there are reasons for every, single thing that has touched me in my life. Some of it’s very precious to me, some of it was very painful to endure and others make me smile with the memory of their occurrence.
What I take away from all my experiences, is one thing: don’t judge them in isolation. They have a hand in the entire fabric of life. Though I can’t always see it right here, right now, there is a very good reason that these instances manifested when they did.
The more I learn to accept that, the easier it is to come to terms with the inevitable.
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Word count: 363
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Written for the A to Z 2014 Challenge
R is for Reason
My theme for the month is : Introspection in shades of 11
Also linking this to the Ultimate Blog Challenge for April
Linking this post to YeahWrite Weekend Moonshine Grid #162
*Featured image courtesy: Shutterstock
Wow beautifully drafted I must say! Yes don't judge things in isolation, there is always a reason and every thing is interrelated, if only we know how to stop and read the signs.
PS: I just visited two of the links right now and can relate to both of them. Will come back and check all soon.
Very lovely and thoughtful write up 🙂 indeed there is a reason for everything 🙂
🙂 Yes, there's a reason why things happen and absorbing the learning in good spirit is the best thing to do. I enjoyed those links cited as reasons!
Amazing to think we're on Day 18 eh? 🙂
yes there indeed is a reason for everything that happens in life.. but sometimes it becomes difficult to see it at that moment!
http://swathishenoy.blogspot.in/2014/04/r-for-regret.html?m=1
a-z participant
I really admire your reasoning ability, a rare quality !
I liked this and found the reason why I read your piece.Everything has a cause and effect.Nothing is done without purpose.Even staring at the setting sun at the beach is to kill idleness.
Reason to read your posts and giving us more than what we expected to read. Lovely post and loved the concept of links. So intriguing.
Am following all of them.
Reason for everything is true.
Every thing that happens, has a reason , that's what even the Gita tells us 🙂 This post is divine just because of the message it conveys ! There's a reason behind your having to redraft it over and again !! 🙂 Just that we're at times incapable of going beyond the obvious and checking out the cosmic plans behind every moment 🙂
More often than not, in retrospect, we' re thankful that certain things happened when they did 🙂
A beautiful post, this one !!
yes every thing one does defntly has a reason linked to it, though we always say there is no big reason behind it. U hav given links to too many tales. Wud love to read them post A to Z.
Good luck with the challenge. I like that in simple words u introduced many episodes to us 🙂
Hav a good day Shailaja- http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.in/
Wow..very well put… Of course I too agree. We need to accept that. Whatever happens , happens for the best.
Quite a reasonable post, I would say 😉 Jokes apart, I too agree that there is a reason for almost everything that happens..but we can't always know or perceive that reason. Because if we were able to figure out everything, where would be the mystery of this beautiful thing called life? 🙂 A good post. Saw that picture of yours with snake – will visit other links later when I have a better net connectivity at home. Aah…the perks of living in rural India 🙂
Lovely lovely post Shailaja. I too believe everything happens for a reason and I just don't say it…I have seen how things have evolved around me and when one is disappointed by an immediate instance it is only later we find out or understand why it happened the way it did! Hugs!!
I believe in that too, that there's always a reason behind something happening in my life. In fact I believe fate and destiny plays an important role in our lives.
God has given me the ability to understand and correlate instances of good and bad i receive to good and bad i cause…i can clearly realise it from childhood.
I like it !….Never judge.. The person u meet might be fighting a bigger battle
PhenoMenon
http://throodalookingglass.com/2014/04/risotto/
Everything happens for a reason, everyone says, and i say it too.. but sometimes things just happen and we don't know the reason! 🙁
Everybody likes to say,”Everything happens for a reason” because it sounds very profound. No offence meant, but I have something else to say?
What 'reason' will we offer to a girl who is raped?
What 'reason' will we offer to an infant who loses both parents in an accident?
What 'reason' will we offer to a physically or mentally challenged child or to her/his parents?
Some things happen for no 'reason'. We just have to deal with them in the best way possible.
You know that's why I like your blog..You always give a lesson in it
R for Ready-Random Thoughts Naba
Yes! There is a reason for everything. We may not like the reason, but there is always a reason! ♥
I beg to differ slightly and hope you don't mind. Read your train incident between Singapore and Bangkok.Understand your point but in case of the South Korean ferry accident – what can be the reason relevant to those families or the parents of those school children ?
Your last line – “The more I learn to accept that, the easier it is to come to terms” summarizes the best way to find out peace with your current state or being instead of fighting external or internal, physical or mental battles that might ruin your peace… This is true for those South Korean families now.
Actually, Pro, even those incidents have a reason. We may not understand them and definitely cannot explain them, to the victims. Although I haven't undergone anything as painful as what you have described above, I have gone through a severe, traumatic phase in my life- mental illness. It is deeply personal and I have not blogged about it yet, but it took me a whole 3 years before I realised why I had to go through it. While it may sound profound, I truly believe in what I say- that everything happens for a reason.
The thing is we don't necessarily have to attribute a reason to things that happen. We just need to deal with them, as you have mentioned. What we learn from each incident, shapes our character.
I believe there's a reason behind everything and it's sometimes for our own good… and no, I am not generalizing it 🙂 That python pic is scary… I don't think I could ever muster enough courage to do that 😛 the train bandit escape sounds miraculous.
I believe too that all things happen for a reason and there are no chance encounters.
Oh yes, everything happens for a reason! Like they say, eventually all things fall into place. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moments, and know everything happens for a reason!! 🙂
More people need to share this philosophy!
I agree on your message about not to see in isolation; well written & jotted – connected would be right. I also agree with Michelle Liew's comment
How to read the signs, exactly! Thanks Sfurti. Looking forward to your return visit 🙂
Thank you Sri 🙂
Whew! Just 8 days to go, Vidya 😀 Thank you for agreeing with my reasons 🙂
That's true, Swathi. At the moment, in the heat of it, you cannot hear the phrase 'all for the best'. It will come at a later stage.
Thank you for that, Ananya 🙂
That is a powerful statement, KP! Indeed, every seemingly simple act has a reason.
You warm my heart, Inderpreet. I hope you liked all the links 🙂
Oh, always in retrospect. That can come in a few minutes or in a few years. But, we rarely give thanks when it actually happens 🙂
Thank you Afsan! Yes, do read them at leisure :)Glad you stopped by.
Yes, we must. But only for the things that we cannot change.
And yet you visit every day! I promise to read all your posts at leisure, Beloo. I want to do complete justice to them. Rushing through them will not be right. I have lots to share in terms of ideas too 🙂
True Aditi. And this understanding can only emerge from experiences. No matter how many times we hear it, we still feel cheated at times.
Fate, destiny, we call it differently, but the fact is that I believe in a Higher power that governs us all. We have free will, but we also have to step back and let Nature take its course.
Good to know that Meena!
Indeed they might. You may like my post on Thursday, in that case. Watch out for U 🙂
True Nibha. We come across situations for which we never know the reasons and it is hard to accept that. But, when we cannot change what has happened, regret will not take us any further.
Always a pleasure to see you here, Naba <3
Bang on the head, Kathy! We may not like the reason, indeed, but the reason exists. Thank you 🙂
When it is a situation we cannot change, Jayanta, that is the way forward- acceptance. You know that saying:
Give me the courage to change the things I can,
the strength to bear the things I cannot
and the wisdom to know the difference.
That applies in your example.
Python picture is scary even now, when I look at it 😉 I must have been really brave 😉
Glad you agree, Suzy! 🙂
Oh I love that quote, Shilpa. I shall remember that for the future 🙂
The world would be a different place, right?
Thank you Ashwin. What a pleasant surprise to see you here 🙂
I agree 100%. Every single thing that happens…happens for a reason. Our lives are like a canvas — all the parts have to be there to make it whole
Carol @ Battered Hope
I am in total agreement with you. There is a reason for everything we do and everything that happens to us. Even if we don't always understand what that reason is. Well written, my friend!
Elsie
AJ's wHooligan in the A-Z Challenge
I love your mature perspective. Brings so much peace to realise that things happen for a reason even though in moments of crisis you cannot figure out why.
But it hurts equally though self correction works..
Shailaja, I'm truly happy for you that you have not allowed your traumatic past experience to affect you adversely.
What I am referring to is the tendency of many people to blame victims by saying things like 'punishment for bad deeds in previous birth', etc., thus adding insult to injury.
I fully agree with you that we must learn from each incident, good or bad.
It's amazing what life's experiences can teach us, isn't it?
That's a very healthy attitude to have. We all have our paths, and none of us are insured against bad things happening every now and then. The key is how we react and what we do with them! Hear hear.
Who better than you to acknowledge that from pain comes a valuable lesson! I admire you as a person, Carol.
Couldn't agree more!
Your lovely words are a comfort to me. I know I will read this again. (My child is growing up too. He'll be 15 in less than 2 weeks!)
?
“Don't judge them in isolation” you wrote. Is there “a reason” you deleted my complimentary post? The strong, insightful writer you are would let me know how I offended you. Or is it just a glitch?
Hi Kathy. I am not sure what post you are referring to. I have not deleted anything you've posted. I can see a comment above from you saying this: Your lovely words are a comfort to me. I know I will read this again. (My child is growing up too. He'll be 15 in less than 2 weeks!)
Is there another comment that you posted following this one? I just checked in my spam folder and there is nothing there. So, do let me know.
Thank you for the kind words.
I guess it was a glitch. It say delete on my iPads under my original response so I was concerned I had offended you somehow. Thank you from letting me know the delete did not come from you. Best wishes, Kathy