Tuesday, August 14, 2007

When you believe in things that you don't understand...

I used to think I believed in coincidences.
I do believe in Fate. Serendipity. Karma. What "goes around, comes back around". Ying and Yang.
And other things of the sort.


But does coincidence fall into that category? I mean, is it subjective to what we deem as being "random" events?


I would, under normal circumstances think that if two incidences occurred, and seem to be connected -- that they happened randomly -- as coincidence. But what happens when a string of events happen, say 5 or 6 of them occur --that appear to be connected? Is that also coincidence? Or could it be orchestrated…? At what point do you stop saying "what are the chances" surprisingly... and start thinking "hmmm. What are the chances" with a more suspicious tone.

Which led me to search out the definitions for coincidence. And funny enough, buried amongst all of the mathematically statistical theories of randomness, and the extra sensory perception and heightened awareness theories -- I found the following: "an event that might have been arranged, although it was really accidental".
Which brings me back to thinking whether I believe in coincidences or not. I do believe in irony, and poetic justice - both things that can be tied to "coincidence".

Maybe it's just that my level of thinking as to how many seemingly random events that are connected have to occur before I no longer perceive it as being mere coincidence.

Coincidence... or carefully constructed.
That is the question.

Now to just figure out the answer...


3 comments:

Suldog said...

I believe that both coincidence and arrangement occur. Of course, telling one from the other is the puzzle.

Generally, if I prayed for it and it happens, then I'm very happy to give credit to the arranger :-)

Tim said...

I don't believe in coincidences.

I believe that there's a plan behind it all. Problem is (for me) that no one filled me in on the specifics of the plan and what it would require of me on a daily basis...

bigwhitehat said...

Fate and Coincidence to not jive.

Call me old fashioned. I believe in a God that is in control.