Philosophy Time!

In philosophy there are two different strands of thought on one's life events; pre-determination and free will.  Pre-determination, just like it's name, suggests that everything in our lives is pre-determined.  Our lives are just a series of events that have each been caused by some prior event and each future event will be caused by events happening now.  Also, some philosophers believe that events in our lives are fatalistic and even if not caused by a certain event, will happen anyway.  The other strand of thought, much like its name as well, is free will; that our lives are not pre-determined, our actions cause effects and those effects determine our life.  Nothing is pre-determined, it is all up to the mind's choices.

While both of these strings of thought have some validity; most likely life is a combination of both, but I was reading a book this weekend that said, "fatalism is a species of fear - the fear that your fate is in your own hands, but that your hands are weak."  And I thought this was so fascinating because so many of us give up at the thought that we can't do something.  As if it were pre-determined for us to do a certain thing and anything other than that, we will fail.  Or, on the flip side, that you were too weak to fill the destiny that was created for you.  At some point or another, we are all faced with questioning our weak hands.

There have been times where I have made a certain choice or done something and it just felt like te right thing to do, I don't mean morally or ethically, more so that I was doing exactly what I should be at that time.  There have also been times where I felt I have made a wrong choice and I know so because it just doesn't feel right.  It feels like I am in the wrong place or doing the wrong thing for myself.  Have you also felt this way? And do these feelings give credence to the idea that there is some fate you are meant to follow out?

Our generation has so many choices at our fingertips everyday.  Making regular decisions about how to spend your time, money, effort become daunting as you consider every possibility.  While we are lucky to have this freedom of choice, it can feel like an overwhelming task at times.  It takes a great amount of energy to decide what is right for you and to follow through with it, there can be so many distractions along the way.  

I was also reading another book that stated an Italian proverb:

"Destiny shuffles the cards, but we are the ones who must play the game"

I think this is a simple way to marry the two ideas; certain things are set for you, but you must be the one to go get them. Anyway, these are just some of Kelly's deep thoughts for the day.