It is said that nothing happens by chance. Everything that happens, happens for a reason.
That is a fascinating concept known as fate.
Is it believable?
Looking back at everything that happened 25 years ago, what do you think?
One moment, I'm on the verge of giving up and accepting a life of solitude, becoming some monk. Then, someone came into my life and I felt a connection, but it was far from reach.
Despite the initial setback, I didn't give up. Instead, I learned the profound value of patience and the beauty of friendship. These qualities, I realized, are the foundation of any meaningful relationship.
The connection I have been wanting comes into view, but I chose to be a friend first and show patience and compassion instead of rushing in headfirst.
An opportunity appeared, and I chased it like I found an oasis in a vast desert to quench my thirst, only to be tricked by a mirage.
There I was, losing hope and giving up on this year-long pursuit.
The original plan, devised by Betty and me, was to help each other at the dance—be each other's wingman and provide support. Betty was going to convince CC, the girl I've been crushing on for the last year, to pursue me, and I was going to persuade Bear, my friend who's been crushing on Betty, to pursue her.
Neither CC nor Bear showed up.
What did I do?
I let fate take over.
Instead of despair, it gave me laughter. Instead of loneliness, it gave me friends pulling me onto the dance floor. And then, in the unlikeliest twist of all—it gave me gum.
A single, smeared, disgusting piece of gum.
That sticky trap waiting on the ledge for two fools sat right on it. Those fools were Betty and I.
If it weren't for us sitting on that piece of gum and in that ridiculous, messy moment, something clicked. I would have never felt that spark in Betty's little accidental kiss.
After all these twists and turns, I couldn't help but wonder—what else did fate do? It's the unpredictability of fate that makes life so wonderfully unique.
You see, fate creates a series of events with infinite possibilities and what ifs?
What if CC and Bear HAD been at the dance, would I have still experienced such a tender moment?
Would it have been Bear sitting on that gum with Betty, or would it have been Me and CC, or nobody at all?
What if I had never met CC? Would things have still ended up this way for me?
The curse of being someone weird with ADD. These are the kinds of thoughts and questions that flood my mind when left alone for long periods of time.
Whether you had plans or not, fate didn't care. It rolls the dice and makes things happen. We're all in some universal D&D campaign, and fate is the Dungeon Master narrating our adventures and determining what our choices did.
Just ask my mom. She wasn't a fan of how things played out for me back then. Nor was there anything she could've really done.
That spark between Betty and me was just the beginning of us becoming High School sweethearts.
The rest, well, that's for another story.