I'm torn about how to answer these questions.

One the one hand, the ancient Western philosophers' assumption that everything that happened had to be part of a grand teleology led them to so many errors of thought. It is when we let go of that assumption of teleology and its dread consequence of determinism, that real possibilities for meaning can begin.

On the other hand, the idea that everything is alive, an idea found in both animism and process philosophy (e.g. - Whitehead) means that everything does have motive. I find that idea enthralling.

Maybe the answer is a middle ground that things happen for reasons but not reasons directed by a cosmic mind or materialist determinism, but by the vibrant free will of untold number of objects in the universe. We all create our own motives.