On Fate...

now first, let us begin with a definition of fate...

Fate: Fate (n.) A fixed decree by which the order of things is prescribed; the immutable law of the universe; inevitable necessity; the force by which all existence is determined and conditioned.(n.) Appointed lot; allotted life; arranged or predetermined event; destiny; especially, the final lot; doom; ruin; death.(n.) The element of chance in the affairs of life; the unforeseen and unestimated conitions considered as a force shaping events; fortune; esp., opposing circumstances against which it is useless to struggle; as, fate was, or the fates were, against him.

Of course, many people in this world question themselves on whether or not fate actually exists. my personal answer to this question is that, yes, it does exist. it is completely impossible for fate not to exist. it is completely impossible that human choice controls life, events, and everything going on in the world around us. if that were the case, everybody would have everything they ever wanted, would marry and love who they chose, loved ones would never die, there would be world peace, etc. etc. etc. my friend argues that you make life work, and the choices you make are supposed to be the effort you put into actually attaining what you want. yes, this is all fine and dandy, i don't argue that human choice does or does not exist...because it does to certain degree. you have the choice to eat whatever you want for breakfast in the morning (ex: choice between fruit loops and raisin bran). the choice is yours to make...but ultimately, the choice you made, is what fate and/or destiny intended. as a perfect argument to explain my point of view (to my best friend, as well as to others who might argue with my opinions), i will use the one i like to discuss most frequently in this matter: buying a car. yes, it may sound stupid, but my argument is the purchase of a vehicle. look at it like this: you want a car...it's a beautiful car, isn't it? and you want it soooooo badly, don't you? and so you decide to get a job and save every penny for your dream car. and you pray every single night that you will get this car. and you dream about it at night, and talk incessantly about it during the day. you drive your friends and family nuts about this car. but you want it so bad. and then the day finally comes...yes, that's right, you're finally going to buy your car. you're so incredibly happy, you sing in the shower, and bound down the stairs to go to the car dealership. you arrive there whistling, completely happy...BUT...*gasp* when you get inside, the salesman says "i'm terribly terribly sorry...we sold your car yesterday. we couldn't just refuse him. you should have told us to put it aside". and so, the argument behind this is quite simple. fate didn't want you to have that car. it was fate's doing that someone else purchased that vehicle. no amount of wanting that car could change that fact. the human choice in this situation is that you wanted that car, and you were going to get it. but in the end, you didn't. no amount of wishing, wanting, planning, or choice, could have stopped that other person from purchasing that vehicle. and to twist this around even more...one week after the other person purchases that vehicle, they get into a car accident and die. the reason this person dies is because that car was a nice, sporty little thing, but very small, and didn't have much protection against that big truck that slammed into it. and so, as another twist of fate, you weren't supposed to die in that vehicle. the other person was. when the other person purchased that vehicle, it was ultimately because fate didn't want you to have it, and fate wanted to claim the other person in death, not you.

shall we have another example? i think so...love and couples. perfect argument, don't you think? anyway...let's proceed. here's the story. there's a guy and a girl. this guy loves his girl to death. he would do absolutely anything in the world for her. anything at all...in fact, he wants to marry her, and make her his forever. and, wow, she agrees!!! would you look at that! now, i think you'll agree that the choice in this situation is definitely that the guy wants to marry the girl, and they both choose to love each other. now, there are plenty of twists of fate that could prevent this guy from having the girl. but, i think we'll go with a rather common one... the girl falls for someone else, and decides she doesn't want to be with the other guy anymore. so, obviously the guy's hopes and wishes for marriage and all that stuff have fallen through. he could wish and hope and try as he might, but the fact of the matter is that the girl may never love him again, and they may never get back together.

i could use so many other examples, and we could go on and on for hours about the existence of fate...but the point is that human choice only has so much control over what happens in life. and fate does exist, and ultimately, it's the thing that has control over every aspect of life.