Reason #333: Destiny is Amorphous

Posted at June 25, 2010

In less humble moments, I thought I had destiny figured out. And all the while I was taking desperate measures to manipulate it…to shape destiny into a form of my own making. But then things didn’t turn out at all like I expected. Do they ever? Maybe we should be thankful that they don’t. Maybe there is someone up there, or out there, or just “there,” who has a better grip on how destiny ought to turn out…for the good of everyone involved. We think it is our destiny to be with a certain person and we take drastic measures to force the issue into reality. When it never comes to be, we feel our world is ruined…our vision of destiny changes from delight to desolation. And then, if we are fortunate, we make a startling discovery…that we were never “supposed to be” with that person in the first place. That both of “us” are better off. If we are wise enough, we allow ourselves to actually be happy for the other’s good fortunes in life. We don’t allow bitterness to take root in our hearts because wishing others misfortune usually results in our own. And we discover that destiny is in fact incapable of manipulation. Destiny is not of our making, or our choosing. Depending on your religious viewpoint, destiny either doesn’t exist at all, or is in the hands of someone much more omniscient, omnipotent and perhaps devious than I could ever be. From our mortal position, destiny is a throw of the dice, a chance event that we cannot place much reliance on, let alone plan our lives around. We may delude ourselves, or soothe our troubled souls, muttering with 20/20 hindsight, “this or that was my destiny.” But deep down we realize that destiny is highly amorphous. Nevertheless, we learn to live with this truth and be happy.