Everything Happens

We often hear the statement that everything happens for a reason. Do you believe that? If so, what should be those reasons whenever we indulge ourselves with what happened to us?

If anything good happened to you, what are the possible reasons? Is it because you are good, lucky, or fortunate; because you did good things by harvesting so-called good karma results? Or is it because God loved you, even favored you more than others, because of your excellent work, faith, or some unknown conditions that God only knows?

Similarly, what is a series of possible reasons if anything terrible happened to you? Is it because you are wrong, unlucky, or unfortunate; you did awful things by harvesting bad karma results? Or is it because God disked you, even cursed you more than anyone else, because of your bad work, unfaithfulness, or unknown violations that God only knows?

We probably have all myths, superstitions, religions, sciences, and philosophies because of our desperate questions to seek the “right” answers for these unknown reasons. From the birth of our consciousness, everything in front, including ourselves, suddenly overwhelmed us.

We constantly hear many whys, like questions from toddlers.

• Why is the sky blue?
• Why do we have to sleep at night?
• Why do we have to wake up in the morning?
• Why do people kill one another?
• Why do we have to die?
• Why am I your child?
• Why do you become my mom?
• Why do you become my dad?

Perhaps, we, adults, could prepare the “right” answers in such a way that “how” these things happen. And yet these explanations and articulations can never be the “best” answers to address their ultimate “whys.”

As we humans evolved to become more and more intelligent, it seems that we know many things about this world, the universe, and ourselves. We are more “knowledgeable” than Aristotle, who tried to understand and classify everything about the world and the universe during his days. Also, it seems we know more about “ourselves” thousands of years after the Oracle of Delphi said, “Know thyself.” Do we?

What do we know about the world and the universe? What do we know about ourselves?

Throughout our human history, we have created a variety of myths, superstitions, religions, sciences, and philosophies. Indeed, there are a lot. Knowledge seems to be everything. Knowledge is power.

Like Aristotle, our modern Big Tech search engines have the same ambition to collect and classify all knowledge about the world, the universe, and ourselves.

With all searchable and classified knowledge, can we provide our “ultimate” answers to address all their “whys,” from toddlers to adults, even those in terminal conditions waiting for death? Is it enough to get the modern search engine for our pursuit of wisdom?

Let me ask this question again. Does everything happen for a reason?

We have indeed generated tremendous knowledge throughout history.

But, it is a mere accumulation of “how” they happened, such as how the Big Bang or the Industrial Revolution occurred, how I was born, and how you were born. Moreover, it is mere knowledge of how I am here this morning at the cafeteria, even to the future moment of how I will leave this world.

A toddler would ask me if I was going to die someday. My answer is yes. I surely die sooner or later, though I don’t know precisely when. All our ancestors died, and so we do. You will also die someday, as everyone’s death is inevitable. I don’t know why. If so, why was I born on earth? I can tell you “how” these things happened for my birth, yours, and everyone’s, but not for the ultimate “whys.”

Likewise, I don’t know why there is something rather than nothing, including the universe itself. But, it is only that you and I don’t know the answers. Who am I, who are you, and who are we on earth? Why do we need the answers to these ultimate questions?

So, we are back again to the Oracle of Delphi, “Know thyself.”

Whatever the reasons we can provide and however these could be truthful, they are all for me, you, and us. If you say something “terrible” happens to you, it is you to say so and seek the reasons. If something “good” happens to you, it is you to say so and finds the reasons.

Know thyself.

Why don’t we say as follows instead?

“Everything” happens for a “good” reason.

There is no such a way of good or bad things happening due to good or bad reasons. Things are always happening as they are without and despite our selfish reasoning efforts. With or without us, every reason could be “good” and “reasonable.”

Everything happens for a reasonable reason.

That is a tautology. So, we can only say:

Everything happens as it does.

Only then, we can sense the state that God alone is. We can feel the joy of surrendering our selfish answers to the ultimate “whys” as we embrace God in them. Thus, we rejoice more, pray without ceasing, and thank everything.

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Image by feworave