Originally Posted by rmschaver

Destiny or chance. Without suffering how would we know joy. Why are some wealthy in the ways of this world and others so desolute? My wife is an agnostic, I think of my self as non-denominational. I was raised independent bapbtist.

A Taoist believes that we create or own suffering, poetic when one thinks about it. I believe we are here to learn lessons that transcend the physical. Grace, patience, honor, courage, ... They are many and poorly understood. Your husbands belief seems very karmic to me.

If I have learned one thing it is our past, our mistakes do not define us. It is what we learn from those mistakes. Do we avoid them or shall we transcend them. I once had a therapist tell me that the trials of this world polish our souls. Like a rock tumbler. I replied to her I must be really shiney because I was sick of all the polishing.