Goethe, Inspiring. Reality, Sobering.

If Goethe is inspiring, reality can be just as sobering. A few things have happened lately -- including just this afternoon -- where I'm simply SOL. I've missed opportunities that would have altered, supported, or changed my next few years by literally days or in today's case about three weeks. In some instances I could have been better informed, better prepared. In others, it really was just bad luck. My mom, the eternal optimist that she is, encourages me by saying it all has a purpose, it's working out this way for a reason. I'm guilty of giving the same encouragement to others and now I try to believe her. Perhaps I have to. We have a tendency (a survival mechanism, I suggest) to counter negative events or circumstances with positive interpretations, claiming that eternal silver lining that surely must exist. But does it? Is there a positive to counter every negative? Is it really working out this way for a reason or could it be that things aren't working out as ideally as they could. Maybe I am just SOL. Maybe it's just cloudy, no silver lining. Inspiring? Not so much. Sobering? Most definitely.