Threads of Destiny

Everything happens for a reason – Bhagavad Gita

Today, while clearing some weeds beneath a peach tree, my hand brushed rather forcefully against a stinging nettle. Hidden in the shade of grasses and other plants, it revealed itself only through its sting. I tugged it out and then sat for nearly an hour with my hand burning and itching, little sores rising like reminders of its quiet power. In Hindi, it is called bichhoo ghaas or bichhoo booti – the “scorpion grass.” And indeed, it stings with the suddenness of a scorpion’s strike.

Later in the day, when I returned to my study, I noticed a scorpion lying dead next to my chair, one I had overlooked in the early hours of the morning while writing some notes. A strange coincidence, or perhaps a whisper of destiny? It felt as though Providence had played a gentle trick: maybe I was fated for a scorpion’s venom, but instead I received only the passing lesson of a nettle’s bite.

Karma, too, has its quiet ways. Perhaps some unseen good deed lightened the burden, diverting me from greater harm to a lesser one. Nature, in her mysteries, teaches us again and again—pain is real, but so too is grace.

In moments of quiet reflection, when I look back upon the many events of my life, I often feel a deep sense of predestination. The joys and sorrows, the blessings and the struggles – each seems to have unfolded for a reason. Though I may not consider myself overtly religious, I cannot escape the feeling that there is a greater wisdom at play, something I am still learning to understand.

Different traditions give it different names. In Hinduism, the Gita and other sacred texts speak of Karma. In Christianity, it is called Providence. In Islam, it is known as ‘Maqtoob’, that which has been written. Many names, many expressions, yet they all seem to point toward a single truth: life is guided by a force beyond our complete comprehension.

Believing in fate does not mean doing nothing. Fate may open doors, but it is our actions that decide whether we step through. To trust in providence is not to surrender effort, but to act with greater care – sowing seeds of kindness and goodness that will one day return to us.

What we do inevitably returns to us, yet not without the gentle hand of divine guidance. This realization humbles me, and reminds me that my purpose is not only to nurture my own growth, but also to work for the well-being of those around me.

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