Was It Meant To Happen

I asked the question, recently, whether things were meant to be or whether we just have the ability to take positives out of negative events in our lives. I really thought that I had come to grips with an answer, at least as it pertained to myself. However, certain events in our lives have given me reason to pause and rethink this. Not suggesting for a moment that the answer is clear or whether I even have an answer.

For a few years now, my wife and I have been considering moving closer to Winnipeg. Our kids live in Winnipeg, although our oldest son is currently living at home. We also have family in the Winnipeg area, including parents. So it only made sense to make a move. The problem always boiled down to job availability. The work I do keeps me travelling all over the province so the move should not impact my work. My wife and I used to have an argument. She said we should sell our house and move and the job would take care of itself. I always argued that she should find a job and selling the house would take care of itself. We never did agree. However, she applied for a job just before Christmas. Twelve days ago the job was offered to her and she accepted. That happened Monday morning. That evening we sat and looked at each other and wondered what now. Remember the saying; “careful what you ask for because you may get it”? We were unsure what to do. She said that if it was meant to be it would all happen smoothly. I wasn’t so sure.

We decided to advertise our house on ebrandon and Kijiji. I was convinced that my wife would be moving while I stayed in the area to sell the house. I suspected that I might stay here till the summer some time. That meant finding a place for my wife to live in the meantime. Lots going on. However, things started falling in place very quickly. As I sit here writing this, our house has sold and we have bought a house, all in less than two weeks from when we started this journey. It seems surreal.

As I have thought about this I reflected on the question I asked a few weeks ago. At the time I also suggested that I had come to a landing on an answer. Here is what I was thinking. We live in an imperfect world, we are imperfect human beings so bad stuff happens. However, I also believe that we have the capacity to find positives in most everything bad that happens. Not by any means suggesting that the event is positive but rather that positive things can happen. Perhaps its people we meet through the ordeal. Perhaps it’s our own character that builds and grows through the process. Perhaps new opportunities come up. I again had the opportunity this week to share my story. I retold the story of the financial difficulties we had with the farm, the debilitating depression I went through, the anxiety I often felt and how my journey continues. How could I possibly garner something positive out many of those experiences. One of the people who heard the presentation was quick to tell me that I would not be doing the work I am doing if these things had not happened to me. Work that I really enjoy. I would not be able to be as effective. I had to agree. There was a tremendous positive that came out of those negative experiences. That got me thinking about some other experiences. People I have met through the years. Had lunch with one of them this week, we have become friends. The people who have come forward and shared their stories with me which has helped me just like I hope I have helped them.

Now with the latest events in our lives I am reconsidering my position. Perhaps things do happen for a reason. When things fall into place, like they have for us, it makes me wonder. As much as we wanted to make this move two years ago it never worked out. Now when we look back we realize that the experiences over the last two years will contribute to a much more positive move. Things will be better because of the two year delay. So that makes me think that things do happen for a reason. I suspect some would make a strong argument that the big guy upstairs was and is involved. Others would argue that sometimes the stars line up and good things happen. But does it matter? I am going with what I got and enjoy it while it lasts because who knows what lurks around the corner. Make it a good one.