I would like to turn to you with a problem.

I do not understand phrase "Everything happens for a reason". I think you could explain it to me by picking one of the two options in following scenario.

"I sit with someone on a bench near a tree and suddenly an apple falls from the tree. The person next to me says 'everything happens for a reason'."

Now, did he mean:

1- the falling of an apple has a certain cause, out of the causality principle, like a heavy truck passed by or something but we do not know.

2- it was ment to fall.

Thanks!

It is used with the connotation of the second option. People use the phrase to indicate that contrary to how things may appear, it was right or proper for a given event to occur. It also implies a will or force (god, destiny, etc.) which is behind the event.

If someone says "everything happens for a reason", you can safely ignore that person, because they are an idiot.

"Everything happens for a reason." is almost always said by a religious person. Usually the idea is that the thing happened in order to contribute to a greater destiny. For example, the apple fell in order to trip the purse-snatcher who will run by soon. A related common saying is "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger." (I personally don't agree with either saying, but that doesn't matter to the explanation.)

"Everything happens for a reason." is almost always said by a religious person. Usually the idea is that the thing happened in order to contribute to a greater destiny. For example, the apple fell in order to trip the purse-snatcher who will run by soon. A related common saying is "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger." (I personally don't agree with either saying, but that doesn't matter to the explanation.)

I always enjoy adding "-Or perhaps it will cripple you!" when somebody claims "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

If someone says "everything happens for a reason", you can safely ignore that person, because they are an idiot.

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