By Staff
Kim West
Last Friday I made a phone call to the North Pole to talk to a preacher who has survived a grizzly bear attack, heart bypass surgery and a fire that destroyed his home.
What surprised me the most was how upbeat and peaceful he seemed despite going through times that would challenge the best of us.
He explained that his positive outlook was based on the belief that there is a plan for everyone, and that everything happens for a reason.
Of course his explanation invoked two well-used clich/s, but it may be the only way to justify all the good and bad things that can take place during a person's lifetime.
Sure, it's possible that there is no deeper meaning behind the events in our lives. But, I think it's more encouraging to believe that we all have a purpose, whether we can identify it or not.
Believing in the big picture can also help us deal with change.
My dad and I don't share a lot in common – he's methodical and logical, while I'm much more emotional and loopy – but both of us do like to make plans.
Dad was a systems analyst before he retired, so it's not surprising that he maps out everything from his day-to-day schedule to what he wants to accomplish 10 years from now. When I was in college, I depended heavily on a planner, especially the semester I had a 21-hour course load and was juggling several part-time jobs.
I think it's important to set goals and makes plans while realizing that your circumstances can change at any moment.
I had all kinds of plans after I graduated high school, and many of them changed while I was in college.
Not too long ago I was a point in my life where I thought I had everything figured out – great apartment, a career that I loved and a guy that I could grow old with – but then I was humbled and reminded that I might not be the original architect for my plans in life.
Change can be scary, but it can also be invigorating. And since change is one of the few things guaranteed in life, I'm just going to throw out the old blueprint and start working on another one.