“People often meet their destiny on the road they take to avoid it!” – French Proverb
As the world as we know it continues to challenge us beyond our limits, I can’t help but question everything – the meaning of life, Mother Nature, God, the viability of our very existence…
I guess it is easy to ponder these thoughts on a bright, sunny morning-sipping tea and sitting in the comfort of my home where electricity, clean water, heat, and internet connection (on 10 different devices) is only to be expected! For many, disaster, war, unrest, and poverty are in distant, faraway lands…stories on HD TV and on our handheld devices.
Is this what we are to call Fate and Destiny for humanity? Are we supposed to surrender and declare that the universe has finally unveiled our path and thus call it a day?
Can we make any difference at all? Or is our ‘Fate’ already sealed and are we already guided to our ‘Destiny’?
I, for one, have always believed that destiny is something we choose to go after…. whereas fate is something that happens to us. Fate leads us back towards the choice of which destiny we ought to pursue.
Destiny is our ‘Intent’ — our spiritual will; our innate need to survive/thrive; something that drives us to do what seems impossible. It nurtures us with hope in our darkest moments; enables us to dream of better days, and resides in a place where we are destined to find our fulfillment. It is what we are here on earth to achieve. It is our inner consciousness that guides us. It is our aspirations. It is our need to “go” somewhere and make a difference. It belongs to every single person on this planet. Perhaps, if we all went about fulfilling our true destiny there would be no need for fate.
In times like these it’s easy to think that fate is unkind and unfair in its approach to teaching us harsh lessons. It hurts, but sadly it is often only through hardship that we discover our inner strength and capabilities to achieve greatness. Despite our darkest moments, it is our duty to do our best to reach our destiny.
Perhaps it’s high time we learn to understand the language of the universe and each do our part to protect, uphold, and move forward with honest intent, with compassion, and empathy. We rarely listen for or hear the answers, for they don’t come as a roaring lion. Answers can only be heard by getting to know ourselves really well; finding out what we really want and going after it with complete commitment; believing in ourselves and our capabilities, and learning to listen to own intuition – our inner voice – that is trying to show us the way to survival, success, and happiness.
Perhaps now more than ever is the time to claim our destiny…time to travel roads less traveled. Now is not the time to give up or give in!
I see the despair in people’s faces as I fly from continent to continent. Our culture, faith, and socio-economic conditions may be quite different, but I can’t help but notice the same uncertainty, fear, and uneasiness.
For centuries humanity has gone through many changes…we have survived, we have even progressed. We’ve learned some, and yet we’ve repeatedly made the same mistakes. Perhaps, we are going through yet another dose of Fate’s teachings. Perhaps we have not suffered enough to know what’s really good for us.
The divide between the haves and have-nots has only increased. As advanced as we are with our 3G/4G networks and social media-driven political revolutions, we still grapple with fundamental human issues. We cannot protect our children from needing to eat food from the garbage — can’t provide basic human rights — can’t even take care of basic illness.
Perhaps it is time for each of us to re-examine our true intent. And perhaps only then we, the ‘human eco-system’, may have a shot at survival – maybe we will even thrive!
A few weeks ago, I had the chance to watch singer/songwriter Jewel play a small concert. I can well relate to her life story…from being homeless to pursuing her destiny. And in her darkest hours she wrote ‘Hands’. Post 9/11, that poem/song inspired millions. She is right – our hands maybe small but they have the ability to make a profound impact!
On this particular Sunday, despite the hopeless calamities around the globe, I pray we reaffirm each of our commitments to claim our destiny and not give up!
May your Fate guide you to your Destiny…that is yours and yours alone!
Hands by Jewel
If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we’re all OK
And not to worry ’cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won’t be made useless
I won’t be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn’t steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn’t ever after
We’ll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what’s right
‘Cause where there’s a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s mind
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s heart
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s eyes
We are God’s hands
We are God’s hands
Check out Hands music video @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFLPwv6b3lIHer
