Platitudes     (Edited)

‘Interpersonal experience shapes the mind as it continues to develop throughout the lifespan….. Interactions with the environment, especially relationships with other people, directly shape the development of the brain’s structure and function’ Dr Dan Siegel

In the previous post I wrote about the phrase ‘you don’t deserve anything’. Another least favourite phrase of mine, which pops up frequently is ‘everything happens for a reason.’

So, you were diagnosed with cancer, a loved one died, a child died, got run over, robbed, bullied, raped, fired, betrayed, evicted, ended up homeless, denied civil rights? Probably, everything was in your best interest and everything happened for a reason. Bad things that have happened to you were lessons you needed from day one, a kind of boot camp you had to pass through.

When people use the phrase ‘everything happens for a reason’ as a response to terrible things that have happened to other people they may have good intentions.   Read more..