I’m sure many of us are familiar with the plotline of the classic Disney Channel Show That’s So Raven. Raven has a psychic vision, she tries to prevent that vision from becoming a reality, and through the actions she takes to try to avoid the situation she actually ends up fulfilling the vision. Isn’t that just sooooo Raven of her? (Sorry, I couldn’t resists!)
Raven’s visions are a type of self-fulfilling prophecy that touch at underlying questions of predestination and free-will. While I had grown up believing that God gave us free-will, I had also spent a good portion of my childhood daydreaming about star-crossed lovers from opposite ends of the earth being brought together by fate to share a romantic ice cream cone. You know, like Romeo and Juliet except less dramatic. (I was nine, cut me some slack!) But I never really thought about fate until we read A Prayer for Owen Meany in my senior year English class.
A Prayer for Owen Meany tells the story of a boy, who from a young age is stuck in a Raven-like situation, in which he knows how will die. Naturally, the question of fate was brought up—whether or not we believe that we are destined for particular ends and our actions can do nothing to change them.
Here is the opinion I shared in class: I do not believe in fate per say. I believe that every person has a free-will and can change the projection of their future at any time through their choices and actions. I do believe, however, that everything happens for a reason. Even if that reason is nothing more than to form us into the person we are today. We are the sum of our experiences, and every action or even has the potential to change who we are based on our reaction to it. I, personally, take every success and every failure as a learning opportunity.
I do believe, however, that life can be sprinkled with little glimmers of fate—of divine intervention, for lack of a less dramatic word—to help lead us in a direction we did not know we had to go at the time.
This year my birthday fell on the Friday of the weekend before Spring Break. Naturally, my parents wanted me to come home to celebrate, but I had three exams the next week and more importantly I wanted to stay on campus with my friends. So, we agreed that my parents would come visit for a few hours on Saturday.
Wednesday of that week, my best friend who goes to Saint Mary’s and lives two blocks away from me texted me saying she wanted to go home that weekend. I hard core made fun of her. My responses included, “Why were you gonna go home? Spring break is literally in a week,” and “You’re just wasting money on gas.” Despite being so against the idea, the next morning something in me shifted, and I felt the need to go home. We decided that on Saturday morning we would drive home to Chicago for the first time since Christmas Break.
Celebrating my birthday at home with my parents.
That weekend trip home ended up being the last time I was able to talk to my grandma before she passed away. Before I left for school on Monday she asked me when I would be home again. “Thursday,” I said, “soon.” But over the course of those four days, my grandma had gotten sick and was admitted to the hospital. Had I not listened to that sudden urge telling me to go home, despite all logical arguments telling me to stay on campus, I would not have remembered my last interaction with my grandma over Christmas break, what would have been our last conversation.
This photo, taken on Christmas, might be my last picture with my 104 year old grandma, but I am grateful it is not the last time I saw her.
Fate is not a topic meant for light dinnertime conversation. It cuts straight to the core of one’s being, and reflects their beliefs and values. Fate is an enigma, oftentimes making it difficult to even decide where one stands on the topic. This article is not meant to discredit or criticize anyone’s beliefs about fate, predestination, and free-will. It is simply a reflection of my own beliefs, and tells a story which I would like to share.
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