Voice of the Spirit

Everything Happens for a Reason: Finding the True Meaning of the Events in Our Lives by Mira Kirshenbaum

“Why is this happening?”  All of us have asked that question at some point as we search for a deeper meaning to make sense of the things that happen to us.  In this book, Mira Kirshenbaum explores that journey of finding meaning in a thoughtful and intelligent way.

As a psychotherapist, Kirshenbaum has seen and facilitated this journey unfolding for many of her clients.  As the child of Holocaust survivors, she has experienced in her own life circumstances that triggered her own need for understanding the reasons why bad things happen.

The author’s view is that everything happens for one of ten reasons with one basic principle behind them: The good that comes out of the bad things that happen to you is to help you become your best, most authentic self.

Everything then happens for one of these ten reasons:

1. To help you feel more at home in the world.
2. To help you totally accept yourself.
3. To show you that you can let go of fear.
4. To bring you to the place where you can feel forgiveness.
5. To help you uncover your true hidden talent.
6. To give you what you need to find true love.
7. To help you become stronger.
8. To help you discover the play in life.
9. To show you how to live with a sense of mission.
10. To help you become a truly good person.

The book uses stories of peoples’ experiences to illustrate the life lessons all around us and how those lessons give meaning to events in our lives.  There are diagnostic questions in each chapter that can be used to see if a particular lesson applies to you.  Seeing how a new found understanding changes someone’s life is incredibly illuminating and uplifting.

The book is easy to read and engaging.  There are a lot of helpful tools to work with.  If you are looking to understand and put in perspective events in your life, this book is a great place to start.