According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, fate is defined as:

the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power 

as a verb (to be fated) be destined to happen, turn out or act in a particular way

What do we think of when we think of fate?

(imagine the final jeopardy theme playing here- it’s 30 seconds long, and if it gives contestants enough time to think of and write down an answer to a question- you should be able to come up with an adequate thought of what fate means)

Ok- you have your thoughts?

Do you think we have any control over what happens?

or

Do you think events have been predetermined, and we’re just playing it out?

I really don’t know what I think about fate. To me, it falls in the same category as soul mates. Is there one person who we are supposed to be with? Have the stars matched you with someone?

Have the course of our lives been charted before we are even born?

I recently read a book “The Authenticity Project” by Claire Pooley. Without giving too much away, the begins with a woman finding a journal left behind in a coffee shop. When she opens the journal to figure out who to return it to, she realizes that someone left a note and a message. The note shared something personal about the writer, and the message said- write your story here, then leave the book somewhere else so someone else can learn yours and add there’s….

Obviously, since it’s a book, people add their stories and leave the book behind for someone else to read….

Does fate bring the book to certain, specific people, or is it just luck of the draw?

I guess I don’t like the idea of fate because I am a total control freak…I don’t like to think that anything is beyond my control… (corona 1- my controlling it- 0)

Presently, I know that I have gained weight recently and it’s not because of fate. It’s because I lack control of the situation around me and I am soothing myself with food, and I haven’t been walking or going to the gym or moving… (salty snacks – 5 my waistline- 0)

But I guess you could say I was fated to gain weight….which is a nice rationalization…but it’s not really going to help the situation…

So….

I really don’t know….

Thoughts?

 

 

56 thoughts on “Sei-Fate”

  1. I believe a lot about our lives is preordained. The idea that we’re in control is an illusion underscored by the current situation. That being said, we still have control over how we respond and deal with things.

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  2. I have always believed that we make our own fate for the most part. I know that goes against the definition but like you, I like my control!!! But On the other hand I woke up to 3 inches of Flippin snow….not sure if nature is part of fate but definitely beyond my control!☃️❄️

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      2. I just thought if something my friend said recently, which I guess I should have added…she lost her partner about five years ago, unexpectedly, and it took her awhile to get on course. She decided it was time to date again. Of course…pandemic ensues…so all she can think is well played universe….

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  3. Fate? Or in other words am I a realist or a romantic?

    Sadly I don’t believe in destiny, that our lives are preordained and mapped out by some supernatural power, alas LA I’m a realist and I have a sense only the romantic at heart believes in fate? I prescribe to the ‘chaos theory’, that life’s journey is a mere game of luck and chance, not being run over by a bus was your lucky day, first meeting your future betrothed was simply by chance, if fate and destiny were to bring two soulmates together….. why is the divorce rate at 50%. BUT if you believe in fate ❤ then that's ok 🙂 with me.

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  4. A long time ago, I read an interesting concept of soulmates. It went something like this: Your soulmate isn’t that person who completes you, that you’re meant to be with above all others. Your soulmate is that one who jump starts you and shakes you to your core so that you can open up and receive more. You’re not meant to be with that person forever because it would be exhausting.
    I can’t for the life of me remember where I read this, but it makes a kind of sense to me.
    As for fate, well, we’re blessed (some may say cursed) with free will. So however much fate is pulling strings, we’re over here making choices that guide us. Good, bad, or indifferent, our choices = cause and effect.
    But, if fate is an actual thing, perhaps it’s like that concept of soul mate up there…
    Fate might not give us a nudge, but fate might open a choice. Or place some one or some thing in our path.
    Perhaps fate is simply presenting us with the choices and which way we choose is not up to fate, but us…?
    Dang, LA, you got me thinking again today! ❤

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    1. 😉right? There’s so many ways to think of this. It all intertwines, and then you start to think…do we really have free will? It’s like those mentalists that get you to say something by giving you triggers…

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  5. It is hard to have a scientific understanding of English language. For example, the definition of supernatural is not clear as it can be interpreted in at least two different ways. As long as words have no clear single definition we can argue about them forever. It is simpler with a language such as mathematics.

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  6. Everyday choices are just that choices. I do not believe that I am fated to choose one thing over another. We have free will, that being said there are some things that are beyond our control( weather, natural disasters etc.) We control how we react to those outside forces.

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  7. I don’t think I am a believer in fate because I think it means pre-ordained. I don’t believe in coincidence either, I think we make choice and do things that either help us or do the opposite.
    Enjoy your writing, reading and brief slump in exercise LA, I predict that you will be burning off those calories on walks soon and encouraging us to get a move on also.

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  10. I don’t think I could answer in the Jeopardy time limit. Too many ways to go here. Yes, there are things we have no control over but how we react to those things is up to us. But, based on our knowledge, history and upbringing, do we react in a certain way or are we totally independent in our choice making? Great post again!

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  11. Somewhere I still have a letter from a friend while I was in college who wrote about a boyfriend dumping her at the time, and she used fate as a means to explain a life lesson. It rang true for me, and that’s probably why I kept the letter: fate = life lessons.

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  12. I think fate is like success- equal parts our work with some luck added to the mix as well. I prefer to see fate as a positive thing, even though it clearly isn’t always the case. But I’m superstitious, LOL.

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  13. I believe we are on a path…and the path might lead to bagels one week, and cheesecake the next but if you keto, you can have it all. You just learn to mix the ingredients without the flour and some of the stuff, so you can have your cake and eat it too. I am losing a few pounds because I seem to be hyperactive lately against all odds.I can’t sit still.

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  15. The expansion and contraction of the universe is fated. Everything else is essentially random. How I react to things is influenced by my upbringing and to some degree, genetics. But there is no pre-destiny. My choices set me on the path to whatever random things are going to happen.

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    1. Yes it does. There’s many layers to this, and I’m not quite sure what I think. Part of me thinks there is fate, the other part doesn’t. But I love hearing people’s ideas…

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      1. I’ve gone back and forth but I’ve pretty much settled on free will. As a Christian I know I’m supposed to believe certain things. But I can’t believe it’s God’s will that children get cancer or young people die tragically or people’s home and loved ones are wiped out by random storms or people are shot and killed at concerts. It’s genetics, or bad people or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But if you believe in a loving God, He can’t possibly inflict that kind of pain on people. Just my opinion.

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  19. I don’t really believe in fate, as an outside force anyway. I do believe that people have certain thought patterns and behaviors that are genetically determined, but I also believe that we are all a result of both nature and nurture. I know many people who do believe in fate and have no problem with that, it’s just that in my heart of hearts, I have to admit that I don’t.

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  21. Fate? Hmm …

    My take is that there’s some stuff within our control, there’s some stuff we can influence, but other stuff is outside our of control and of our influence. Is that latter group fate? Maybe … except I suspect much of it is actually caused by the actions of others – some close by, some far away (that whole butterfly wings thing).

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