I’ve come to the conclusion that I believe 65% in fate. Not a full 100%, mind you, because I’m far too pragmatic for that. But let’s say a solid 65%—because sometimes we are exactly where we’re supposed to be, no matter how much we try to zig when life clearly wants us to zag. Other times, though, we’re the ones steering our ship into uncharted waters, choosing our own path even as we squint into the fog and hope for the best.

And here’s the kicker: you usually don’t realize that something was “meant to be” until much later—long after you’ve tripped, stumbled, and fumbled your way through it. It’s that odd sense of clarity that only comes after the fact, when you’re standing in the rubble of your well-laid plans, thinking, “Huh, I guess this was my fate all along.” Well, thanks for the heads-up, universe.

But let’s not forget about karma, the other cosmic force that balances things out. I have to believe in karma—it’s like a moral safety net for my soul. We all do things, and sometimes the scales need to be adjusted. There have been moments when I’ve desperately wanted karma to swoop in like an action hero, delivering a swift roundhouse kick of justice. You know, the kind of instant gratification where the person who cuts you off in traffic gets an immediate flat tire. But alas, karma doesn’t work that way.

Karma, it seems, operates on its own time. It’s not Amazon Prime—there’s no two-day delivery. Karma’s more like my  grandmother cooking up a slow simmering stew: it takes its sweet time, and you’ll get your karmic reward (or consequence) when the universe decides it’s fully baked. Not a moment sooner. You can’t rush karma, you can’t corner it, and you sure as hell can’t bribe it. It’s like a stubborn cat—you just have to let it come to you when it’s good and ready.

But when karma does roar, it’s a thing of beauty. It’s the ultimate “I told you so” from the universe, the cosmic balance finally restored, and when that happens, oh, how you can soar. The trick is having the patience to wait for it. Life’s about walking that line between letting fate unfold and pushing forward with your own plans while trusting that karma is quietly taking notes in the background.

So yeah, I believe 65% in fate. The rest? Well, that’s just me, karma, and a whole lot of patience.