Often in life, we are faced with seemingly insurmountable problems. We tend to waste time in nostalgia and wallow in self pity. Author, cancer survivor and 'incurable optimist' Kate Bowler pondered on this subject for quite a while before she came to any conclusions. In an inspiring TEDx talk, she provided some answers in a profound, painful, and unexpectedly amusing manner, questioning the notion that "everything happens for a reason" and imparting heavy insight about how to make sense of the world after your life is "abruptly and entirely altered". "There is some medical news that nobody, absolutely nobody, is prepared to hear. I certainly wasn't. It was three years ago that I got a call in my office with the test results of a recent scan," she recounted of the day she learnt of her cancer diagnosis. "I see that the world is jolted by events that are wonderful and terrible, gorgeous and tragic. I can't reconcile the contradiction, except that I am beginning to believe that these opposites do not cancel each other out." She gave the cliche, 'Everything happens for a reason' a new meaning by understanding the beauty in everything that life threw her way. "But I am learning to live and to love without counting the cost, without reasons and assurances that nothing will be lost. Life will break your heart, and life may take everything you have and everything you hope for. But there is one kind of prosperity gospel that I believe in," she added. A fresh perspective can inspire us to see our own lives in a totally new light and to truly appreciate the beauty of our world, which does not sound so cliched when seen from her eyes. "I believe that in the darkness, even there, there will be beauty, and there will be love. And every now and then, it will feel like more than enough," she concluded. 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!
