“Love is not a matter of what happens in life. It’s a matter of what’s happening in your heart.” –Ken Keyes
I also believe that happiness is not a matter of what happens in your life. It’s a matter of what’s happening in your heart.
—
“It’s not happening TO me, it’s happening FOR me.” –Unknown
I believe it is often wise to view life’s experiences–especially those that feel negative at the time–and “setbacks” with the attitude that there is a lesson to be learned and that is a gift from life to us, but I also believe that not everything necessarily is worth the price paid.
For example, sometimes the death of a beloved child or spouse seems to be nothing but terrible, or that the tragedy and depth of the pain greatly outweigh the lessons to be learned.
Perhaps I have just not come far enough spiritually to better understand such things.
Maybe I never will.
Love,
Russ
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
Great post; simply great. What’s hard for me is the middle (like what we are going through this week actually): what to do when things go from good to bad back to good to worse than they started but yet there is no apparent lesson to be learned. We look and we see nothing. We are just back to square one.
Always trusting Him though. Makes me realize that He never said storms won’t come, and some are just effects of other people’s choices, but whatever He called into our lives still stands true. No matter what … He always works on our behalf.
Thank you for your comments and insights, Heather. I hear your frustration. Some of my most valuable lessons took years for me to understand and eventually appreciate. (I can be an incredibly slow learner about many things.) Perhaps you’ll find the same thing will happen to you in this case if the lesson doesn’t occur to you sooner. As with so much in life, time will tell.
Russ
A bloody great post…………..
Thank you, Joanne. I appreciate your feedback.
Russ
Sometimes the lesson to be learned is for someone else. Great post!
Interesting point. Thank you for making it!
Russ
I still try to find the lessons as well ~ it’s a gradual process I think. ♥
It certainly can be a gradual process for me, and sometimes after many years, the lesson strikes me like a bolt of lightning. I appreciate your comments and insights, Misifusa.
Russ