"Born To Be Wild"

No, I'm not referring to one of my favorite all time songs by Steppenwolf.

What I am referring to is how much of our lives would happen the way they
happen regardless of decisions we make or what we do? Not that this is all about '70's music but "Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is"?


How would we ever know if something different would have happened if we hadn't taken certain steps. How would we know we would have avoided an accident if we had avoided the ill-fated (notice use of term) intersection that night? How would we know we would have ever gotten married if we hadn't happened to attend that party and struck up that conversation with that guy? How would we know if we would have purchased that car if we hadn't done that research or gotten those references from friends and family about it?

Just take a look at all the terminology we have that hints at this kind of predestined phenomenon.

Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe. This is certainly one of the most dramatic terms.

The word "Kismet" (alt., rarely, "Kismat") derives from the Arabic word "qismah", and entered the English language via the Turkish word "qismet" meaning either "the will\save Allah" or "portion, lot or fate". In English, the word is synonymous with "Fate" or "Destiny". This was also the name of a famous Elvis Presley song in the mid to late 60's.

Modern usage defines fate as a power or agency that predetermines and orders the course of events. Fate defines events as ordered or "inevitable". Fate is used in regard to the finality of events as they have worked themselves out, and that same finality is projected into the future to become the inevitability of events as they will work themselves out. Fate implies no choice, and ends with a death. Fate is an outcome determined by an outside agency acting upon a person or entity; but with destiny the entity is participating in achieving an outcome that is directly related to itself. Participation happens wilfully. Fate has a slight dark feeling to it, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it comprises the first half of fatalist.

Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. William Boyd coined the term zemblanity to mean somewhat the opposite of serendipity: "making unhappy, unlucky and expected discoveries occurring by design". These sound like terms invented by Cirque du Soleil.

Amor fati is a Latin phrase that loosely translates to "love of fate" or "love of one's fate". It is used to describe an attitude in which one sees everything that happens in one's life, including suffering and loss, as good. That is, one feels that everything that happens is destiny's way of reaching its ultimate purpose, and so should be considered good. Moreover, it is characterized by an acceptance of the events that occur in one's life. My personal favorite simply because I like the sound of it, I like to say it out loud.

Omniscience is the capacity to know everything infinitely, or at least everything that can be known about a character including thoughts, feelings, life and the universe, etc. This is more than just trusting fate, this is where you have already seen fate and there are no surprises left for you.

Predestination (also linked with foreknowledge) is a religious concept, which involves the relationship between God and His creation. The religious character of predestination distinguishes it from other ideas about determinism and free will. Those who believe in predestination, such as John Calvin, believe that before the creation God determined the fate of the universe throughout all of time and space. More of the God will take care of everything stuff if you are reading this blog backwards.

In theology, Divine Providence, or simply Providence, is the sovereignty, superintendence, or agency of God over events in people's lives and throughout history. You know along the lines of God will provide, or I don't need to watch my kids because God will take care of them for me. This is where I run from the room screaming.

"Perchance to Dream" is a phrase from the "To be, or not to be" soliloquy spoken by Shakespeare's Hamlet. See, even Shakespeare had a hand in this.

Or, there's the classic, "Que Sera, Sera" as coined by the renowned seer, Doris Day. Who could doubt her psychic powers?

So where do you fit in all this? Believer or non-believer? And I haven't even started on reincarnation!