Destiny
I saw a movie about Destiny today - Slumdog Millionaire. It's easily one of the most heavily Indian-flavored films I've ever watched yet I don't hate it. In fact, it brought back some memories of my time in India. Mumbai's strong contrast of sleeziness and wealth, the gloriously empty Taj Mahal, the children beggars. All that constitutes India was captured within that 2-hour show. Ironic how a movie centred around Destiny should be shot at such a destination.
So the movie left me with a grand question: Is Destiny really written in the stars? According to the film, it is. How else could an uneducated lad of the lower caste in society becomes a millionaire overnight via a television show? For he's neither a cheater nor a genius. Luck, maybe. But Destiny?
If there is such a thing as Destiny, who decides it? I don't have enough faith to believe that the higher being has a hand in this. I'm also not egotistical to think I hold my Destiny in my own hands. How can two individuals be destined for one another? How can one man be destined to succeed while another fail? How can a child be destined to beg on the streets while others float in seas of luxury? What exactly differentiates our Destiny?
Most people would think that the choices we make in life lead us onto different paths. How and what we choose decides our Destiny. Some would insist that Destiny is a beautiful mysterious unknown guarded by many factors that have intricately woven itself into our life. I can't wholly agree with any. I don't think a person can choose their own destiny, nor can they walk about life believing that they are already living their destiny. Because if either of that is possible, we'd all be content, yet the truth is, none of us is really content, at least not for too long.
I think those who believe in Destiny will only be led on a wild goose chase, for how in the world would you know your Destiny, and more specifically, where/how to look for it? It's a destination so obscure that I believe I wouldn't have known it even if I've reached it. But I think we need to believe in it. We all need to believe that each decision we make in life, each separation we struggle with, each heartache we endure will eventually lead us to where we're supposed to be. We just need to believe that there's someplace we belong and that each day we're getting closer to it. And maybe that's our common Destiny - to belong.
So the movie left me with a grand question: Is Destiny really written in the stars? According to the film, it is. How else could an uneducated lad of the lower caste in society becomes a millionaire overnight via a television show? For he's neither a cheater nor a genius. Luck, maybe. But Destiny?
If there is such a thing as Destiny, who decides it? I don't have enough faith to believe that the higher being has a hand in this. I'm also not egotistical to think I hold my Destiny in my own hands. How can two individuals be destined for one another? How can one man be destined to succeed while another fail? How can a child be destined to beg on the streets while others float in seas of luxury? What exactly differentiates our Destiny?
Most people would think that the choices we make in life lead us onto different paths. How and what we choose decides our Destiny. Some would insist that Destiny is a beautiful mysterious unknown guarded by many factors that have intricately woven itself into our life. I can't wholly agree with any. I don't think a person can choose their own destiny, nor can they walk about life believing that they are already living their destiny. Because if either of that is possible, we'd all be content, yet the truth is, none of us is really content, at least not for too long.
I think those who believe in Destiny will only be led on a wild goose chase, for how in the world would you know your Destiny, and more specifically, where/how to look for it? It's a destination so obscure that I believe I wouldn't have known it even if I've reached it. But I think we need to believe in it. We all need to believe that each decision we make in life, each separation we struggle with, each heartache we endure will eventually lead us to where we're supposed to be. We just need to believe that there's someplace we belong and that each day we're getting closer to it. And maybe that's our common Destiny - to belong.
posted by simpleton at
9:23 PM
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