Things happen for a reason

If things happen for a reason, then why did I lose my job? I guess I am meant to do something else or do nothing at all. Here are a couple comments I received after losing my job:

• Give yourself a royal break. Do unemployment for as long as you can. Follow your bliss! Make more amazing music.
• You are going to be fine. I think life is giving you a gift.

Now I have learned to be grateful to the gifts from the universe so I will take on this new challenge with a grateful heart. (It's not always been easy for me to receive gifts.)

And speaking of hearts, three of us got the same fortune in our fortune cookies the other day : "Great thoughts come from the heart."

"It's a sign," I said. "I've gotta write this down."

Michael thought I was clearly crazy and said matter of factly, "It's because they mass produce them.

Great thoughts, why not?

A colleague, who will likely have some work for me, seemed like she would be freaking out without health insurance but I've looked into catastrophic and it's not so bad - $450-650 per month for the family and it includes basic check ups, prescriptions etc. Not really much more than I'm paying now.

But back to the concept of things happening for a reason - I think you can find a reason - but when really bad things happen is there a reason? Is there a reason for one of my sister's mental anguish? I simply think no.

And why did Matt leave/lose his snow board on our first day skiing in Vermont? To irritate us all? To help him remember things in the future. To realize the value of a dollar when the ski shop charged him $175 for the lost/stolen board?

As we drove up Route 30 to the Bromley Ski area from Brattleboro, Daniel said, "I have a bad feeling I left my skis." "Look in the back," I suggested. Matt told him they were there but quickly realized his snowboard was not. It was a very bad moment. A very bad moment, indeed.

At the ski area, we were surrounded what I will call 'beautiful people.' Families with wealth, looks, and regal bearing. Note: I don't necessarily put us in that category. There were also no fat people at the ski area. I guess fat and skiing don't jive.

On one ride to and fro the ski area (we went 2 days) Daniel (who is always asking what my favorite such and such is) asked me what my favorite word was. "Serendipity." The funny thing is no one asked me what it meant. That stopped the conversation cold.

Serendipity. Perhaps when we say things happen for a reason - we discover new talents, new ideas, and new ways to pass time. New ways to persevere.

I still can't find a reason why Matt lost/left his snowboard at the little town hill in Brattleboro.

But perhaps my readers can enlighten me.