AMOR FATI – Love for fate

Amor Fati a new word for me as would be for many. Its a Latin word and means Love for one’s fate. I heard a video from WisdomShots (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox9NFWhyc-I) narrated by Sreejith Krishnan. Beautiful lessons at the end of each story in each one of those episodes. Amor Fati just sounded so good and when I heard his story and subsequently with the help of master guide Google, understood it a bit deeper.

Accepting one’s fate is not in any way sign of a loser as one would believe. Yes, giving up and not even trying can certainly be categorized as a loser. Hardwork, focus, and motivation take us towards a goal that we aspire for, however, something called fate has a big role to play as would luck. Luck is that spark that embraces us when fate allows it to do so.

Two siblings in the same house have opposite fates despite an equal platform whilst growing up. Circumstances and to a certain extent planetary forces pave the way for one to move towards a certain direction and the other towards another direction. Any amount of interference from parents, elders, or teachers will not deter what is fated for them – be it good or bad. We all hope for good, however, the world comprises of all colors – black, white and grey. No two people or two situations are the same. Every newborn comes with their share of baggage that they have to lug around as long as there is life. A mother gives birth, the umbilical cord is cut, and then each one is on his/her own to live life to the best of their ability as after all the gift of life is not something we should take for granted.

Accepting your fate with a positive approach is what we have been taught. Take the positives from a negative situation and turn it around are the lessons we learned. The farmer in the story takes fate as it comes which he believes could be for the good or for the bad. After a few instances when the outcomes were not as expected, the world saw it in a negative light. Our protagonist ( the farmer) went with the flow and kept his thoughts neutral all along. As time passed by and events were viewed in hindsight, it dawned on all that indeed what happened was for the good even if the occurrence seemed bad at that point in time.

Today we battle a war against a virus that has turned our lives topsy turvy all over the world. The situation demands all activities come to a grinding halt and each one of us stays indoors. With the economy kept on pause, cities are no more bustling chambers, roads are free of traffic pollution, the air is clear and clean, the sky seems to open its arms and the environment is breathing on its own – the ventilator is finally off.

The virus that has caused so many deaths world over, with many more sick and many others who can contract the disease because of their lack of immunity or other health ailments is indeed sad. We are living in fear and moving away from each other physically more than ever. Now given a fancy name ” social distancing”. Yes, that was the bad and awful part but its only one side of the coin, turn it around and see the positives. It’s given us a reason to slow down and change gear, make amends in our lifestyle, and the way we treat the environment and has given back nature its due. We had reached such fast speeds that we would crash, leaving only a heap of rubble where no one or nothing can be salvaged. With this slowdown phase, we sit, understand, introspect, and take stock with a promise to make positive amends.

Change is always difficult and the roadblocks are many, however, hopping over them together is the only way to secure the future for our children and generations that follow.

Lessons that have come our way need to be remembered and not binned as soon as those locks are unlocked and life comes back on track. Amor Fati – our love for our fate is great if it gives us an opportunity to see the good in bad, the positive in negative, and above all belief in Karma – do good to receive good.