Lately I’ve been hearing myself say “things happen for a reason” a whole lot.  Perhaps it’s my health issues that make that phrase come up.  Or maybe it’s aging — maturity might make us more accepting of bad things that happen.

But as I’ve thought about the phrase and how often I say it, I’ve pondered its meaning for me.  It’s not that I’ve given up responsiblity for things that happen.  Rather, the bad things that challenge us can, indeed, make us stronger.  I’m in charge of how I handle those bad things — I can choose to react negatively and make myself even more miserable, OR I can figure out how to find something positive in the challenge.

So next time something bad happens to you, ask yourself, “what’s the reason?”  Then, work hard to make it positive.