Currently Reading: Everything Happens for A Reason
September 7th, 2007 by meremystic
Everything Happens for a Reason: Finding the True Meaning of the Events in Our Lives
“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:
- To help you feel more at home in the world.
- To help you totally accept yourself.
- To show you that you can let go of fear.
- To bring you to the place where you can feel forgiveness.
- To help you uncover your true hidden talent.
- To give you what you need to find true love.
- To help you become stronger.
- To help you discover the play in life.
- To show you how to live with a sense of mission.
- 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.
This entry was posted on Friday, September 7th, 2007 at 8:57 pm and is filed under Currently Reading. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
This appears to be a refreshing read & the 10 reasons the author has sited feel comforting, real & reflect the fact that the Universe is indeed a friendly, caring place. In my mind, everything cannot be explained away by the rather simplified “laws of attraction” theories that are currently running high & wild across self-help literature. I will certainly look for a copy of this book. TY
September 9th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Dorothy,
The more I read this book, the more I like it. It is not metaphysical in the usual sense and it doesn’t talk about karma and those types of principles, but there is a spiritual essence that comes through very strongly. It does talk about lessons, though. The author clearly states that this is not a book about God, but about you and your place in the world. I really think this is a worthwhile read.
Meremystic
September 15th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
I have started reading this book & I have a place here to share my thoughts!! This forum has the feel of an online book club!! Pretty neat!!
I have so often lamented about the feeling of being lost & wanting to return home (“there is no place like home” Dorothy from Wizard of Oz)..and the author’s first chapter/(reason) delves into people feeling misplaced in life like being a “squirrel in the desert” – Thats ME!!…I need to be returned back to the woods to feel at home again in the world…..and so my journey is being enriched by this book right from the start…!!! TY
September 25th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I finished reading this book & bought my friend who likes to know “the reason” a copy too.
I have to say that 3 reasons rise right to the top for me & appear to be the theme of my life:
1.To help me feel at home in the world
2.To show me how to live my life with a sense of mission
3.To help me be a truly good person
Its all too true – I work almost everyday to be a better person…I am currently trying to reinvent my career, discover my mission & passion…and in the meantime I’m still your average perfect squirrel in the desert!! :)