Do People's Lives Cross for a Reason

“Loco Lobo???

snafu29, thanks!
I do my best to be an a$$hole/wiseguy/doofus!
My poor wife has to live with that crap!”

“god-incidence....phil...that is golden...

not sure there is a reason, but i think it more a purpose to experiences,

to namaste (god-incidence)
to love the experience of being in their presence , without the "burdensome practice of judging" the experience
to shower em with love”

“Who's read Mitch Albom's new book "The Five People You Meet in Heaven"? Awesome book. Quick read.

Guy dies, goes to heaven, and finds out the reasons 5 people were in his life.”

“Do People's Lives Cross for a Reason?

I think Jesus' life crossed for a reason.”

“In "failed marriages", I don't think they "Failed", I think these folks just gave up trying to make it work. My marriage could end tomorrow, but I've tried for 30 some-odd years to make it work. It doesn't "just happen" you have to work at it. We'd all fight with ourselves at some point if there was 2 of everybody.”

“let me tell ya bout failed marriages:
I got beaten up for 2 years, believe me, I didn't want to try anymore after I had fingerprints on my throat!! I left his a$$, don't care what everyone else thought!”

“but that was a long long time ago... I am not mad anymore!! Really! :)”

“Good for you Gemini. Knowing when to end a relationship is an important lesson to learn.”

“I know people's lives do cross for a reason. I had many things fall exactly into place at just the right time by meeting certain people. The timing and outcomes were so significant that it's totally errie. I have a hard time believing that the events happened by chance.”

“yeah, there is some errie stuff going on in this world. Coincidence or for a reason? Maybe our life is programmed to end a certain way. I guess we will never find out. Sometimes I do wonder myself.

Pretty interesting though to read everyone's opinion.”

“I believe many things happen for a reason,wether its paths crossing meeting your spouse,finding a best friend.

A few examples...
My best friend was killed on Oct 20. On Oct 18 he was able to call his wife from a payphone in Fallujah and speak to her for 40 minutes.

After his death we went through his stuff. We found hour upon hour of video footage he had taken while on deployment all over the place. Its living history to his son. We also found albums full of photos.

A week or so prior to his death he sent many family members letters saying "you all need to know how much I love you".

That last time we saw each other in person we spoke of death. He told me " I see myself dying as a soldier. I cannot imagine going any other way. If I dont get outta here (the 82nd) I am gonna get killed". This was a year before he died.

Maybe its all in my head? I seem to see an insight on his part and a "plan" of sorts.

Without him in my life I may have learned all of the things I did, but from another...who knows. I do know however, that in first grade the wisest thing I ever did was to ask some goofy kid named PJ for his food at lunch.

I believe we are presented with opportunities and choices. We dont often realize what we are chosing until so much later in life.”

“Gemini, I failed to mention this. I admire your strength in deciding to leave your ex. My mom was abused for a time (while I was in the service) and it was hard to get away, when she left she had her car and purse and what she had on. It takes brass cajones to stand up like that, you have my utmost respect!”

“there is no reason for any of it.

sometimes, you wise up and go for the prey that wandered your way.

most of the time you think "what if", you don't go for it and you miss what could have been. or... you might not even notice it. it's amazing how much people underestimate themselves and think that there is something else at work.”

“Rad, good to see you are still around.”

“You know, I am not generally a crazy person, but we'll see after the next few paragraphs.

Anyway, I really love radio. I've got shortwaves and weather radios and cbs and stuff. At any one moment, the voices of a police officer, game show host (Bob Barker?) and ship captain are zipping along past and maybe through my ears.

If you put a little infrared camera on me and watched someone stand a few inches away from me, our little spheres of influence would overlap.

I've heard about pheromones that form some sort of chemical communication system in humans.

Some cosmic particles are so small that they pass right through the entire earth and any people in the way without interacting with anything.

I tend to be a skeptic on much of the miraculous. However, much of existence is beyond my feeble abilities to sense or understand it.

It does not seem silly to me - given what is already scientifically proven - that a mother and child or husband and wife might be connected in some strange, alternative-reality way. Or that there might be some unknown pull between social creatures of like mind and purpose.”

“birch, i'm glad i'm still around!”

“Still a smart @ss, some things never change LOL!”

“RL - good point. Joe, that would definatly lend to a reason, and I disagree with Raddy to a point. There is a karma to things that happen to you. I feel it, but at the same time discount it to my natural ability. The only thing that keeps for from totally having raddy's view, is a pretty profound experience I had with a, well, we'll call him a preacher, and a good man, 10 years ago.”

“BB, I'd love to hear about that conversation you had someday...”

“Dang, me too!

I love RL, he's so cool. :)”

“Heck, I'll put it out here, it's no biggie.

In 94' I had just finished my degree at Toldeo, and broke up with my g/f of 3 years in the same month. It was a time or reconking for me. I was living at home wit my parents, and in a dead-end job. Something compelled me to visit a Deacon who used to conduct our Catholic Youth Group. The dude is a genuinely good person, regardless of his occupation in life, and I always felt comfortable around him, and valued his advice.

At this point in my life, I wasn't to religious (and still and not), in a "structured religion" standpoint. I considered myself spiritual, yet unattached to anything formal.

The "Rev" as we called him, promptly took me into his office, where we chatted for 1/2 hour, mainly about me and all the crap happening to me at the time. As most of you know (who've met me), I'm a dude, and hate when people shove thier views on me. Well, after our nice talk, the "Rev" wanted to pray on me. Man, I didn't want that, and thought it was pretty stupid. But I respected the guy so much, and didn't want to offend him, I let him do it. He placed his hand on my head, and started chanting, invoking the "holy spirit" and such. I'll tell ya what, I went from being completely uncomfortable, and full of angst, to being totally relaxed and on top of the world. I actually seemed to have a physical reaction, with a huge weight lifted off me. I can remeber the whole time thinking... WTF, there IS something to all this stuff.

Anyway, that experience will never leave me. It's one of the few things that make me cling to the theory that there is a higher power out there, and that that higher power works though others, and doesn't leave everything to circumstance.”

“BB, that is a geat memory. Thanks for sharing it.”

“Dang, that's what some people tell me what happens to them when they go to confession. I'm like you, Buddha, in the way that I don't want someone praying on me. Some of my very close friends say that's the same feeling they have after going to confession.

Cool story.”

“I believe people's paths cross for a reason. I'm not talking about the person(s) who pass you on the street, but people we develop some type of relationship with (friendship, lovers, those types of relationships). I, for one, have learned something from people in my life, whether it be positve or negative. The reason we meet may not be apparent at first, but will manifest its reason in time.”

“Hey BB!

That was interesting. This stuff is a bit hard for me to approach.

My dad was involved with charismatic Catholicism when I was growing up. I've been to lots of services in which people literally faint when the presider placed hands on them.

All of this scared me. It created major family problems. I was also troubled by the dour world view that seemed to accompany many of these charismatic groups. The world was bad. Lots of fire and brimstone. The whole thing was based on fear.

I grew to believe that something very powerful was, in fact, happening. However, I think that it had more to do with the power of suggestion and the technique of the presider than any "miracle."

So, I did a bit of an end-around and used Catholic social teaching and charity works to approach the faith. I believe theoretically in the supernatural, but am highly skeptical of any specific role that it plays in my life.

Lots of freaky things out there...”

“Several months ago I was at the church that I go to every week, and our pastor who I respect a lot, introduced a friend of his who is involved in the denomination on a state level. I had a fiercely negative instant impression of this man. He was very good looking and well spoken but I immediately was suspicious of him. I rarely react to people like that. I have since found no reason for my reaction. In my heart though, I think that this man is evil. Pretty wierd. I of course, did not tell anyone else at church about this, but that is a person that I would avoid at all costs. Maybe someday I will find a reason for my reaction. There have been times when I have reacted very positively to someone when first meeting them, and became very good friends with them (in my husband's case, we became VERY good friends). I think that our reactions to the people we meet greatly affect the "people's lives cross for a reason" equation.”

“Do people's lives cross for a reason?

Extremely doubtful.”

“hmm....http://www.innerexplorations.com/catchmeta/mys3.htm Only to confuse matters more, I think that C.G.Jung said a couple of things about it:) Synchronicity he called it....or was that the Police?”

“An Acausal Connecting Principal...that was the term I was looking for...lol

....by the way Ewker, you not hiking this weekend? Bit, Fonsie, myself, etc. are going to Savage Gulf.”

“I agree with you with one exception. I don't believe it is coincidence. I believe God's timing is perfect. With that said, I'm glad I don't have to lean on my own understandings of this universe cuz I wouldn't have a clue!”

“I think peoples lives cross for a reason. That is why none of you have met me.”

“Do people's lives cross for a reason?

I still say no...it's random chance and that's one good reason why we need to get out there and explore and travel...to meet all those folks you've been missing. Stop to smell the roses as they say. After you've met someone special and you talk about your past, often times you discover that you've crossed paths before, maybe many times.

Buddha Bear...good for you man. I'm not religious but whatever works for the good is good in my book.

Whoever (sanfu29?)it was that said something about apples not falling far from the tree, I agree. As a teacher I see that come true often when I meet students parents. Oh my god! Kids are part nature and nuture. Encourage your apples to roll away and uphill if possible.”

“Uphill......I like that!”

“Some of us just don't have a clue how to make apples roll uphill.

:)

But trying counts for something.”

“Lyndy, it sounds like the guy came across as a salesman.

Buddha Bear, I'm so relieved!
I thought you were gonna say the guy put his hand on...........”

“I am going to miss that trip have to work this weekend, need money for my holiday trip.

bacpac, you are probably right, not sure how you could handle all of us crossing your life, might make you a better person ;)”

“Tommy, why, do you think salesmen are evil? How many backpackers are salesmen (I'm not talking about gear salesmen, they are public servants)?”

“"Tommy, why, do you think salesmen are evil?"
Whoa!
You're reading way too much into a simple question, Lyndy!


My dad(and myself as well)was a route salesman.
Dad was a milkman and a bread man, I did bread too.

There are salesmen and then, there are salesmen.”

“Ooops I was kidding around, not being serious there. Sorry.”

“Great Story!
It is a eye opener for me, in the sense, we are alike. I'm also a spiritual person, but I do not go to church. I have my own sense of spirituality. My Chiropractor is a great dude (30 yo) and he his a enthusiastic baptist. He has never pressured me to go church, he has invited me many times to visit. I was baptize Catholic, but I don't think that matters... Anyway, he knows my situation over the last few years (small town) and he is sincere when he says he would like to help. His father is the preacher at the church. The one thing that is cool about baptists is they are opened minded. He goes hunting, hiking, fishing, etc.... he just got married and has a new baby too....He sez his fellowship in the church has help him with every aspect of his life. I have considered going, but never seriously. I have always blown it off and said to myself no way...It just always seemed weird to me, I don't why, it just does.
So hearing your story and what you said happened with you, and this whole thread has me thinking "what can it hurt?" Heck, I'm miserable with the way my life is, I feel like I'm trapped in a time warp circle that is constantly going in circles. I have almost ZERO direction in my life. Their are many goals & experiences I would like to try to achieve, but have not figured out what to do to reach them. I don't wanna feel like I'm turning to GOD due to I'm lost. So maybe I will drop in to the church soon and say Hello, maybe I will have better direction afterwards or in time.
How, cool would it be if the church did help me out and I did it due to your email and this thread and my life change for the better. I could say my life changed due to BB & TT :-)
LOL”

“So you sold a lot of bread to make a little bread? Time to make some cherry bread. I have a new recipe.

Actually that wasn't the kind of salesman I thought that you meant. I was thinking about those people that sell life insurance for newborn babies. That always seemed a bit sick to me.”

“Snafu, go to a meeting or a service. My husband was raised Catholic. After the kids were born, I converted to Catholicism. We went many Sundays, but it was a struggle to get my kids and husband to go. I went to a retreat with a friend and met some terrific people with kids the same ages as mine, and brought my family to their church for a change and we loved it. The community was a great fit. For years we went to the other church and my husband (very quiet) made no friends. Within a couple of weeks of going to this new church (Lutheran Brethren) he had made several friends. Now we have been going for several years, have many friends, have attended many bible study sessions, have grown in our faith and most of all have a terrific sense of belonging to a community of warm friendly people. We have become born again Christians, and study the bible to learn more about God and what he wants from us. I have not had any miraculous experiences like Buddha Bear, just smaller, more subtle ones, but still, the community and fellowship is there for me and my family. My friends who are nurses (I am now going to school for nursing) are at my church. So I have a new direction in my life that is related to my involvement with my church community.

Most of all, it can't hurt you to go.”

“Lyndy, I was thinking more of the "infommercial" kinda dude, like Tony Robbins......handsome and waaaay smooth.”

“Reformed Lurker, You should pick up the book, The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield sometime. He describes exactly what you are talking about. I think you would find it very interesting. He also wrote, The Tenth Insight, which was a follow up, but wasn't as good.”

“Some choose to see order
Some choose to see chaos
Maybe chaos theory is correct in that sometimes chaos becomes orderly for a short time and then returns to chaos.”

“Oh, my head!!!”

“Take two beers and post in the morning.”

“He's a cowboy
w/ a hat and a horse shoein' bible
and he says he'll buy me a purple
truck . . . truck
and I'm fifteen . . . fifteen
and we go to the rodeo and he meets a girl w/ spurs

and then it's summer and we've been drinking w/ David in the house behind the sawmill . . . sawmill
and he walks in and he's an artist
w/ oil paints and tight canvases
we just watch like deer
I'm sixteen . . . sixteen

The robe is itchy and the diploma is small
I'm smoking cigars . . . cigars and crying w/ my friends
"He put the ring on my finger and told me we'll do it when I finish college."
and I'm eightteen . . . eightteen

He's tall and blonde and Northern European
he doesn't care about the ring . . . ring
then we're riding bicycles in the rain in Amsterdam and I'm practicing my Dutch under my breath
and I'm nineteen and half . . . half

Standing there in my long black dress, asking to use his phone
and it's just like metal and magnets . . . magnets
and then the next time I take a breath it's the year 2001 . . .
and there's a child at my breast
I'm twenty-two . . . twenty-two


Yeah, Ewker, we cross each other's paths for a reason.”

“One thing leads to another type deal. God works it out in a funky way.”

“Thanks for the tip Indiana John!”