Destiny

Heartsong for the day: Destiny by Play

Hitzusen

As many people that know me have said, I am a thinker. I think a lot. About everything. The universe, the world, books, movies, coffee, tea, rain, what to have for breakfast. And my current thought pattern has involved the panic of what to do when my journey in South Korea comes to an end. My long-term goal is a big one, and to be fair, I have made quite a lot of progress in terms of where I want to be financially. It's the process of being an adult. To make these decisions that determine where you will be in life is a daunting and frightening concept. But there are some things in life you just can't control, and worrying doesn't change the situation. 

In talking with a good friend, she brought up this concept called divine timing. Similar to destiny or fate, what is meant to be will fall into place. 

This reminded me of the concept of hitsuzen in one of my favorite mangas Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle by CLAMP.

Hitsuzen is defined as a type of inevitability

Yuuko says hitsuzen is "a naturally foreordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. A result which can only be obtained by a single casuality, and all other casualities would necessarily create different results." 

This is not exactly the same concept as destiny or fate, where regardless of what you do, it will happen. Instead it is the concept that one action is a ripple effect that causes a series of bigger events that will eventually fall into place. 

This is a difficult concept to grasp in a world where most of the things we want are now instantly available. But in terms of career, life and love, I believe that a certain amount of patience is required. 

A while ago, while working at the book store, I found this book about something called the quarter life crisis, and how it effects my generation more than the previous one due to the lack of economic support that twenty-somethings can get. 

Let's face it, most of us recent or even late former graduates are still paying back student loans, trying to go for the job we were promised in college, and meet all of society's demands for what is defined as an adult. 

But life doesn't work that way. Sure there's a path, but it's not straight. It's paved with risks, failures, obstacles and bridges that cross the everflowing rivers of disappointment and sadness that come with the process of achieving a goal. 

Life is full of surprises. Hardly anything goes to plan. But, opportunities come in their own time, and you must be willing to meet them. 

Currently, I'm drifting in this sea of uncertainty, not sure what the future will hold in a few months is something I haven't really experienced before on this grand a scale. 

But I do think there is something to be said about divine timing and hitsuzen. As long as you work towards a goal, and you don't let failure, rejection and criticism stop you, you will reach it. But in the meantime, along the path towards your goal, sometimes you will have to accept the uncertainty and just allow things to happen. 

So I am done with constantly worrying about my future to the point of exhaustion. Everyday I take a small step on a greater journey that I can't predict. But as long as the steps I take mean something to me, and they help me reach the goal I've set, hitzusen will work its magic and I will be there before I know it. 

Hitsuzen

"Nothing in this world is a coincidence. Everything is Hitsuzen."

Yuuko

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles

Hitsuzen Definition:

"A naturally foreordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. A result which can only be obtained by a single causality, and all other causalities would necessarily create different results." 

Ripples in Time

The rain falls.

Pit pat. Pit pat.

I listen with weary ears, wondering about the world. Wondering if people leave prints on each other's hearts like ripples in the rain. The strange effect that one drop makes as it lands in a rainstorm. Are we all raindrops looking for a place to land? Do we choose where we land, or is that left up to fate? Of course you can't do nothing. Life rewards those who act upon their dreams and goals. But the things that matter, life and love. Can we just let things happen? Go with the flow? Is it okay to just be for a while. Not worrying where you are, or who you'll be with in the future. Or whether someone will appear in your future who has been in your past? 

The thunder rumbles.

A soft roar that echoes in the gray sky. 

Maybe it's best to just allow things to happen. To believe that if something is meant to be it will be. Shall I leave the world up to the rain, and let the drops fall where they may? What good is worry if I can't control what happens? What good is frustration if there is nothing I can do. Celebrating what is now should be important, even when it is not where you want to be. And maybe people cope with the deeper questions by allowing the world to work its wonders. 

Perhaps I should just allow the raindrops to create ripples in time.

Gu Family Book - Destiny

"Let's meet again."

"When I meet you again, at that time, I will recognize you first. When I meet you again, at that time, I will love you first."

"And our time that had stopped, started to flow again."

-KangChi - Gu Family Book

This Korean Drama has been a fun ride, and it's my favorite drama of the year. 

Top picture made by me.

Paperman by Walt Disney Pictures

Because this short makes me so happy.
We like to believe in magic and destiny. This short, and the response to it proves that.

Read more about this here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-hill/a-huffington-post-exclusi_1_b_2574348.html

Destiny- Revisited

"Destiny isn't the path chosen for us, but the path we choose for ourselves" - Megamind

       I read in a book yesterday that living is not a passive practice. Although many people believe they are sitting on the sidelines, they are actually making a choice to sit on the sidelines for themselves. I admit that I used to be one of these people. Now, however I try to challenge myself everyday whether it is in writing, my tasks at work or my approach at problems. 
      To be honest, this idea has appeared in many things throughout my life. In Avatar the Last Airbender, Aang is given a similar speech when the fortuneteller is proven wrong. It's mentioned in Once Upon A Time when Emma gives Ashley a pep talk on people and their opinions. But the reality of this lesson can only be experienced in life and dealing with situations that conflict with who you are and who other people want you to be.
       Even the big dreamers like Walt Disney, Albert Einstein and Abraham Lincoln had to deal with nay-sayers, and the way they dealt with these opinions determined how far they climbed the ladder to their goal.  The truth is, only you can decide who will influence your life. So what does this have to do with destiny? Control is a powerful thing, and no one but you should have it over your life. People will pressure you if you let them. It may even surprise you to discover who is trying to take control. What matters is that you never lose sight of who has the power to decide your future.
      I'm not saying that destiny is easy.  Sometimes that's one of the reasons people let others push them around. There is a certain comfort to not feeling responsible for yourself, but that dies quickly once you realize you have lost control. It is a test of will, strength and endurance when someone acts like they have the power to control you. That is the purpose of destiny. It's like a hero's quest, and a coming of age journey. Destiny is not something given to you. It is something you must learn and decide for yourself. There's a reason for all those stories and songs.
     Once someone discovers a path toward their goals, their destiny is right in front of them. This is one of the traits that make a character appealing. Strong characters know who they are and what they want. Powerful characters believe in themselves and understand that a goal must be earned. Like Hercules in the Disney movie, he could only discover what he was capable of once he believed he could "go the distance." Based on my experience today, destiny is a choice someone makes by believing they can and persisting until they get there.

The Red Thread Wish

I wish the story
of the red thread was true.
That the string around my finger
is tied to you.
I'm sure you're still singing
and laughing with a smile.
It always helped me forget
for just a little while,
the pain in my heart,
the fear of a new start,
the scars from the past,
and a calm that won't last.
I'll never forget
my actions that day,
leaving the happiest place on earth
and running away.

Destiny

Destiny is a funny thing. I'm not sure I believe the entire attitude that everything happens for a reason. This topic has been showing up in a lot of literature we read. King Arthur is destined to be king. Hercules is destined to perform impossible tasks. These troupes go through each and every piece of universally appreciated literature. But what about real life? Can destiny exist in a world of chance? Or is it destiny because you chose to go down a certain path. I'm sure the first step to learning what you are meant to do in the world comes with the belief you do have a destiny. But maybe it doesn't matter whether your destiny is formed for you or you form it yourself. Clearly you control your actions and your actions determine who you are. These actions are a small ingredient to the ultimate self you wish to be. In Jungian terms, the archetypes guide you to go through the process of individuation. This is why people love stories and can relate to characters' struggles and decisions. It's almost a conversation with the self to learn who you are. But Destiny is still a mystery to me. There is this notion of a self-fulfilling prophecy which governs your actions through your state of mind. Does destiny function the same way? For example, if you tell yourself that you can do something you will be able to do it. In the same manner if you tell yourself you can't do something you have set yourself up for failure. These two dilemmas of perspective and actions can cause false expectations or negative views on life. My question is how you get past that. If you want to believe in destiny, how do you go about doing things that prove you have a purpose of an ultimate goal to achieve in life. Maybe believing is the first step. I assume you'd have to do things to reaffirm this belief and also teach yourself lessons along the way. So maybe I agree with Dastan when he tells Tamina, "I believe we make our own destiny princess." leaving things to chance won't cut it for me.