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Fate, destiny and all that jazz, has been a topic that I've avoided discussing for a while now because I felt like I hadn't done enough research on the matter, read enough theories etc. However what dawned on me was that I have enough experience pondering this earth and its inhabitants to draw my own conclusion about the mystery of fate and as of now I'm quite confident in my beliefs, so why not share them? As a warning, I'd like to let you all know that a good proportion of ye are not going to agree with what I say in this post. No one I've ever spoken to has and that's alright! I'd love to hear ye're opinions because this topic is such an interesting and baffling one!
So I personally believe in Fate. I believe that every single thing happens for a reason, no matter how small. You see, I think what we've all observed about life is that a chain link of events can occur. One tiny thing can lead to something else which can lead to something else and so on. Fascinating, isn't it? And I don't think they're down to coincidence, quite frankly, I don't believe in coincidences whatsoever! You may be wondering what is the "reason" that everything happens for. In my opinion its to propel you onto the next thing or stage in life, so that a transition can occur and to add something to your life, to change you if only slightly. Life is sensitive. That is the basic message I'm trying to get across.
And you may be thinking that I hold no belief in "free will" or how we are completely in control of our own destiny. That's not entirely true. I think we are very much our own person. I believe in souls that have passed through many lives and that we've still retained that essence or spark that makes us, us. Therefore, I think that we possess control over our reactions to things as well as our attitudes to the whacky incidents that occur in life. I also (though it sounds a bit strange) tend to not think about fate a lot, meaning that I don't stop myself from doing things and give in to fear because "its fate". I make sure to do what I want to and go for things with confidence when I can as if I didn't believe in fate because, while it may sound complicated, I wish the concept of Fate had never been created. I wish a term had never been given to this power I believe in so greatly and do you want to know why? Because I think we're meant to live life oblivious to the fact that fate exists. Maybe life in that way is meant to be a mystery, where we live with the principle of YOLO and live in the now, not holding back, but unbeknownst to us there is a force deciding every little thing that comes our way. The reason I say this is because I don't think anybody should not go for things or not attempt to live out their dreams just because of the notion that fate will do it all for us. Fate has planted the ideas and dreams in your head, you have them for a reason, if you chuck that reason away then it won't happen. I guess we need to work alongside fate!
All of the great, uplifting phrases of encouragement such as "What will be will be" need to be put into perspective by the reader. Do you take those few words and lose all enthusiasm for life, lie back and hand over all responsibility to "fate" or do you use them as words of comfort, consolation and to reinstall an eagerness to keep going and to keep working hard at what you want?
And now to contemplate what "Fate" actually is, where does it come from? How does it work? Well, personally I don't approach fate from a particularly religious view point. I think its a part of the mystery of life, a mystery we can try to but may never accurately figure out. All I have is a very strong feeling and belief that this thing I've heard of is real and true, that we need to think in a more abstract way of why things happen and why things don't. You may only use it as an antibiotic to negative thoughts after something going wrong or you may completely disagree with it, I don't know! All I want you to do after reading this blog is to think about it and let me know your thoughts!
What do you think?
Love,
Rachel! =)
All of the great, uplifting phrases of encouragement such as "What will be will be" need to be put into perspective by the reader. Do you take those few words and lose all enthusiasm for life, lie back and hand over all responsibility to "fate" or do you use them as words of comfort, consolation and to reinstall an eagerness to keep going and to keep working hard at what you want?
And now to contemplate what "Fate" actually is, where does it come from? How does it work? Well, personally I don't approach fate from a particularly religious view point. I think its a part of the mystery of life, a mystery we can try to but may never accurately figure out. All I have is a very strong feeling and belief that this thing I've heard of is real and true, that we need to think in a more abstract way of why things happen and why things don't. You may only use it as an antibiotic to negative thoughts after something going wrong or you may completely disagree with it, I don't know! All I want you to do after reading this blog is to think about it and let me know your thoughts!
What do you think?
Love,
Rachel! =)
I suppose my most pressing question would be as to *why* you believe in this conveniently ambiguous deciding force of fate? In addition to a lack of any concrete evidence, it appears as both wishful thinking and a slightly self-serving belief to have. I mean, does this fate decide on the millions of deaths every year by starvation, natural disaster and murder? Does fate decide to inflict the immense suffering and injustice prevalent in so much of the world to this day?
ReplyDeleteYou might say that a good event in your life was the work of "fate", but would you say the same about, for example, the recent factory collapse in Bangladesh that claimed the lives of 900 poor workers? To me, the world makes an awful lot more sense when one accepts the view that the universe is both random and indifferent.
Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to be rude, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Thank you Aaron :) I totally see your point and once again I think its just the total opposite of mine! To answer your most pressing question, I do believe that while good things happen because of fate, bad things also happen because of fate. Everything happens for a reason in my eyes and because of the fact that I believe in reincarnation I think this is only one life out of so many for us all. As tragic as disasters are and as much as I think they should be prevented as much as possible as well as being treated with the utmost sensitivity and respect, I feel that a life lost is not the end and it was time for that person or the many who died to move onto the next world to add something to that one. I think you're last line will make an awful lot of sense to some but highlights how our thoughts are in totally different places! To me, life isn't about evidence or being scientifically proved, I place a lot more emphasis on feelings and abstract concepts. :D
DeleteRachel, these are really close to my beliefs on fate and free will. Sometimes I find that it is quite hard to explain to other people... but then I suppose I find that 'beliefs' in general are quite hard to explain!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kristina and its nice to hear someone else agrees! I completely hear you when you say beliefs are hard to explain! Can be so, so true! :)
DeleteThank you Rachel, but I don't think you are fully contemplating the implications of what you are saying. To say that "a life lost is not the end and it was time for that person or the many who died to move onto the next world to add something to that one" seems a very sinister belief to me. It implies the power to decide if someone *should* live or die. To me this shows a remarkable flippancy towards the suffering of others, as well as a lack of freedom; to say that "you have free will and can do what you want, but ultimately it doesn't matter because fate will decide for you." I know you don't actually think that, but it is most certainly the implication of your beliefs. The idea of any force, whether it be human beings or "fate" having the power make decisions for other people against their will is in my eyes supremely totalitarian and to be discouraged at all costs.
ReplyDeleteAs for your comment on the place of evidence and science, well you've made me decide to write a whole blog post for that :P (and also the wish that we were having this conversation in person).
Ah ok! I see where you're coming from but I certainly disagree in your saying that my particular comment was sinister! I simply do not believe that the universe is cruel or that death is the end. Its a very complex thought and extremely difficult to explain but what I'm saying is not coming from a totalitarian, you have no control so deal with it, kind of place, I just think that everything happens for a reason, to strengthen us, for our next life and to learn. It seems horrible but its a positive answer that I believe in. I am completely opposed to injustice and am very into, I suppose, making things right and bringing human rights back to people who lost them unfairly. As I mentioned in the post, people think fate is to sit back and let that happen but it isn't, we have to act on what we believe to be right and in your efforts to pursue anything, the various events and occurances happen for a reason. We have to keep going and work alongside fate. I can't wait to read a new blog post from you despite the fact that I think there is more to figuring out life than science and evidence and to prove something is only a state of mind! :D Haha, Aaron, as much as I'd like to be having this conversation, it is fate that it is through this medium of communication :P
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