Life is often compared to as a roller coaster. There are many ups, downs, twists, and turns, but in the end, most people exit the ride with an unforgettable feeling of happiness. So the question is, why do those downs, twists, and turns happen?

To start off, life is far from easy. There are many instances in which you're going to be unhappy with life, but there will be many instances in which you're going to be extremely content with life as well. You're going to go through hard times, and that's perfectly okay because the foundation of your life is built off of various negative experiences. You build a foundation in which your skin becomes tougher, you obtain problem-solving skills to handle particular situations, and your experiences help you along the way. Problems give you life experience from one perspective, and these experiences lead you to an experience you haven't seen yet.

Why do we go about our daily lives? We live, learn, laugh, love, and so much more. What happens if the bad things don't happen? Well, how would you know that you're experiencing the great times if you've never experienced the gloomy times?

Imagine your life with nothing negative ever happening. Everything is handed to you. You don't experience stress, sadness, or even pure joy. Even though it's often seen as a bad thing, stress shows that you care. When you work hard and obtain a goal, you experience pure joy and happiness. In the instance of never having stress, you'll never experience a truly proud feeling of yourself. You'll never say, "Wow, I really did this."

Then the question comes to mind, "Why do these dark occurrences really happen?" Because the bad things make you into a strong person. Experiencing the negatives makes experiencing the positives even better. If your life was full of pleasant experiences, perhaps you always see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty, you wouldn't have the vital life skills that you have now. Your problem-solving skills would be weak, your foundation would be nothing, your emotions would be everywhere, and your perspective would be slim. These are four things that are crucial to maintaining a well-rounded life.

If there's one thing I believe in, I believe that everything happens for a reason. As a person who isn't extremely religious, I really believe that God creates magnificent plans for each individual that walks this Earth. He gives you the foundation you need to complete your life with happiness, and you build your life skills off of His challenges He throws at you. So take the challenges, learn from them, and build yourself off of them.

In order for the good things to occur, the bad things must go about their storm in your life. If you're someone who thinks that your life isn't going well, hang in there. Something great is coming your way. You must have diligence and patience in order to obtain it.

The roller coaster of life is a pleasant experience. Sometimes, you have to ride out the twists, turns, and bumps, but if you sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, you will reach your final destination of happiness; a guaranteed feeling of happiness.