time and purpose

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3

I am reminded of this today, because first when I got to work we received word that a mechanic who works with us had passed away last night, and in the next few hours I got news that a cousin and his wife had their first child this morning.  Life and death… a time for all of us.  I am not a big believer  in coincidence.  I believe that there is a time and purpose for all things.  Having a “bad” day?  maybe you overslept because you forgot to set the clock, and things went downhill from there…It happens..perhaps your body needed a little more rest and subconsciously you did that.  It triggers a chain reaction affect, but it is what it is.  I believe that everything we encounter in our life has a purpose.  it’s either a lesson, a way to look at a situation in a new light, or a way of making you stop short to reassess your current direction.  Even mundane things like family drama that play out…harsh criticism, a kid who cuts you off from their family because of other shit beyond your control..maybe that is to cause you to think about that family dynamic in a new light…and if it comes back to bite them in the ass, I might be persuaded to not say “I told you so”, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.  It is hurtful and then makes its way to anger, and then well…things happen I guess,lol.  People always want to look for a reason why things would happen..and sometimes even if we don’t understand it, there is a purpose for it.  Reading over the verses, one could apply it to almost any situation we encounter.  It’s not because we are “bad” people and are getting bitch slapped by the universe…things have a purpose.  it is up to us to look for that purpose.  No, I don’t believe that kids with cancer are being punished…but maybe the purpose there is for us to look at that situation and treat the other people in our lives whether they be connected by family, jobs, or just a chance encounter, a little more kindly.  What if the purpose would be for us to check the status of our lives and find a way to dance in the midst of the storms?  We all get so caught up in the existence of our day to day that we often forget to live.  To reach out and smell those roses blowing in on the breeze, to feel the warmth of the sun on our face,  to dance in the puddle that have a sheen of rainbow dancing across them after a summer shower.  Everything has a time and purpose, and while we may not always appreciate the timing of the things that happen in our lives, it is there for a reason.

PEACE OUT