So, I Was watching an Episode of Ninja Warrior (The G4 Version of Sasuke), and then I Started thinking about how life has changed in the last 10 years, But then I took a wrong turn and began to deeply think about Life Decisions... then I Started to think did everything happen in my life for a reason more than just "It Happened"? It's like every part of my life is a piece to a bigger puzzle, and everything I do determines how the puzzle plays out. Has anyone ever thought this in the past? If so, i'd like to know.
Nothing happens in life "for a reason" in the sense that there is some gatekeeper or guardian who has tasks that need to be fulfilled, so you have been chosen to fulfill them. Nobody guides your life in that way.
However, everything in your life
does happen for a reason in the sense that
you are the reason they happened. Your life is the sum total of all the decisions you have made. This might create an illusion that there is an invisible hand that guides, but there isn't. Just your own hands.
It is possible that others have a hand in the direction your life takes too; your parents set you in certain directions, for example. If somebody cuts off your arm, your subsequent life will be the life one leads with one arm. However, even with those inputs, ultimately, it is your responses to life or proactive decisions that reflect where your life goes from there.
Once you understand this, you can begin to see how seemingly minor and random decisions early in life can still be affecting how your life plays out fifty years later. I am frequently reminded of a fairly minor decision (it seemed) that I once made on a whim, after some encouragement from a friend, many many moons ago. That one decision ultimately shaped my entire life (for the better; without that momentary decision, I have no clue where my life would be now, but it would be worse). Ultimately, down the line, it led to a career, friendships, and useful experiences in the world that would never have been accessible to me. I was aware when I made that decision that it would ultimately affect my life in some way, but I was very fuzzy on how it would. Now I know, and I would like to thank my former self for at least doing one thing right. That guy also made some fucked up decisions that I pay for now, but he hit the jackpot with that one.
What I learned from this is that things like thinking ahead, making ethical choices, being honest with yourself and others, and taking risks outside your comfort zone actually
do mean something, even if you don't discover it until years later. So, be wise, or your future self is going to fucking hate you.
