Fate
Accepting one’s fate may be very beautiful if it comes from deep inside. Any other kind is worth little.
An animal runs away from a predator.
The predator grabs it. The animal struggles and dies. It all happens in a short time. Until the last moment, there is little question of fate as far as the dying animal is concerned.
Humans die much longer. They also yearn and suffer much longer. They know fate, which they may accept or not.
Thinking about fate comes with thinking consciously.
In all this, the only Compassionate stance feels to me the following:
Fate must be free.
This is, nobody should coerce anyone else to ‘accept his fate.’
For instance, during a pandemic, the choice may be between either the protection of old people or the freedom of younger people to socialize. Here, the argument ‘accept your fate’ is no good argument, as it never is.
Yet, the choice needs to be made ― here as in many other occasions in which people live together in a society.
Thus, tragedy exists.
This doesn’t lie in the coercion to accept one’s fate but in accepting that fate exists. It is part of the deal, part of the gift of consciousness that we received from nature.
It throws one out of a garden, but only as an illusion.
In reality, fate may be the most Compassionate issue,
but only in freedom. In coercion, there is no fate, but only coercion ― as in “You must accept your fate.” You see, what’s the difference with “You must accept my coercion”?
In free fate, there is the free choice to accept one’s fate, as there is also the free choice to keep hoping, or Hoping. [see: “About Hope”]
Both may be immensely beautiful.
Accepting fate
This is what makes it beautiful to me. Then again, ‘acceptance’ in this is crucially challenging. [see: “The Tough Concept of ‘Acceptance’”]
For one thing, it is incompatible with ‘making one accept something.’
It all hangs quite together, doesn’t it?
Meanwhile, decisions need to be taken; policies need to be made.
Making them with Compassion makes a difference for everyone.
Is it possible to die with a smile?
Is it possible to postpone living with a smile?
Absolutely, and more: both are worth living and dying for.
Related Posts
Being Fierce
‘Fierceness’ is meant here not as anger, aggression, menace, or domination. It is the flame of someone who stands unwavering and unapologetically with truth and Compassion — without retreat, even without armor if need be. This blog explores the human beauty of fierceness: not as hardness, but as a sacred presence that does not flinch, Read the full article…
How to Make Someone See ‘Deeper’
This blog is about understanding and cultivating ‘human depth,’ not only for personal growth but for addressing societal challenges and envisioning a better future for humanity. If you haven’t already, consider reading Deep and Deeper. It explores the distinction between ‘just deep’ and ‘deeper still,’ offering insight into how true growth stems from embracing our Read the full article…
What is Intelligence?
What exactly is intelligence when not restricting it to the human case? Or, better asked – since intelligence is what we call so – how can we characterize something as ‘intelligence’ in a generally recognizable way? In human (and animal, pre-human) evolution, intelligence has appeared in specific circumstances ― making human intelligence inextricably emotional and Read the full article…