Fate

The infamous "they" say, "everything happens for a reason" and "if it's meant to be, it's meant to be".

I know many people prescribe to these two "philosophies".  

Here's what I think:

First the "reason" idea: As long as we are using the word reason to mean "cause" then, yes, everything does happen for a reason--everything is caused by something, even if we do not know the root.  Thus, to sate that "everything happens for a reason" is merely stating the obvious.  For those who think that there is often no known possible causes beyond some "other-ly power"--I refer you to the chaos theory (or for those less inclined you can watch Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect).

Then the "meant to be": I guess since my first marriage did not last, it wasn't "meant to be" but if it had, it "was meant to be".  It's what we tell ourselves when things don't go the way we thought or wanted--it's a consolation.

For those who may feel I'm being too rational or taking away the mystery, I don't feel my views of these "sayings" by any means takes away the awe, wonder and mystery of life.