For centuries, cultures from around the world have asked the same question: Is Destiny predetermined? Or, Do We Choose Our Own Destiny? For some cultures the answer lies somewhere within their faith or spiritual beliefs. While other cultures like the Chinese having a saying “tian ming” loosely translated is “mandate of heaven”. I suppose in reality that saying can be interpreted a million different ways. Perhaps, it has stuck with me all these years because of the one question I was asked in a psychology course, “What is Destiny?”. I am certain every student in that class stopped what they were doing, began looking around, wide eyed, afraid that if they were asked to answer, they would not have the right answer. Little did we know, there was no wrong answer. We all shared different cultural beliefs, spiritual beliefs and our definition of what destiny is varied widely mostly due to those beliefs.

If we look closely at the definition of the word “destiny” the answer may lie somewhere within. The dictionary states clearly: something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing: lot or fortune. The predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events. The dictionary even states it loud and clear for all.... predetermined.

But, exactly how predetermined is our destiny... Was our destiny written in stone before we were a certain age, before we were born, prior to conception, our hundreds if not thousands of years before our existence within the universe?

As I sit here typing this out, the more I think about what is destiny the more questions I have. (Do you agree?) I wonder, if everything in my life (your life) was written in stone to happen exactly as it has thousands of years prior to our creation. I wonder if we searched the earth for years, would we find a cave containing a prophecy of our life? After all it is said that our destiny is predetermined but, to what extent? If our destiny is predetermined why then, do so many spend all their life trying to figure out what they are destined to become?

Honestly, I believe the answer lies within the question. We search for the answers to the more complex questions because the answers we are given do not match what we want to accept. The more we question what our destiny is the more we question if we are living the destiny set out for us. It is after all human nature to study and question even our own existence on this planet. We, human beings, question why we are here, what we are meant for, and whether or not we are living the life we were meant to.

I will ask you, my new friends, What is Destiny to you? Do you believe it is predetermined? Or do you believe we choose our own destiny?