I can look back at most of the significant events of my life and come up with "reasons" why it happened that way... That's likely a large piece of why I've always taken the "Everything happens for a reason" stance. I suppose it's probably also a bit of what I mentioned in the previous post — a necessity to help me cope with some of the more difficult instances.

But, since I've been thinking about it... Perhaps it isn't that everything happens for a reason as much as it is that something positive can come out of everything that happens.

I've said time and time again, "There's no way I'd be who I am now if it weren't for every minute of the 7+ years I spent with Joanne."... and there's a lot of positive in that statement. I've also said that I would've never become true friends with marsgrl200 if events hadn't played out the way they did.  So, it could be said that Joanne and I didn't work out so that I could learn certain things about myself, become friends with
marsgrl200, blah blah blah.

From a different perspective, it could be said that those things were not part of some grand scheme, but rather just a positive effect of what came to pass.

Does this mean that I will start looking at coincidences as just coincidences?... that I'll stop believing that some things really do happen for a reason?  Nah... don't think I could... There's a part of me that truly believes in these "mystical" concepts; but I do think that this may become more of my default stance.  It makes more sense to me.