I have some really deep posts swirling around in my head but I was having a lot of trouble articulating them in a blog post last night. Writers block, I suppose.
Anyways, I’ve decided to participate in another installment of Ten on Tuesday. I always love reading these and really need to participate more often!
1. What is your favorite travel destination spot?
Well I haven’t done too much international traveling (yet) but honestly some of the best vacations I’ve ever been on are camping in the beautiful B.C. mountains! This summer me and Eric went camping with his sister in Edgewood, BC and it was absolutely blissful. There were gorgeous lakes in between huge mountains and no cell service so it was completely relaxing. I also had an unbelievable time when I went to the spa with my mom up in Northern B.C.!
I’m sure after April/May I will have some wonderful new travel destinations to add to my list though!
2. Cats vs. Dogs.
OK, OK, I’m sure the consensus here is going to be dooggsss. And I may have said that 1.5 years ago, too. But, honestly, now that I have Webster I would pick cats any day. He is the perfect pet for me. He’s cuddly and sweet and awesome company but he’s also not to needy and I can leave him alone overnight if I want to go somewhere. It’s also not a big deal to leave him in the house all day when I’m gone for 10-12 hours! I seriously love him so much.
That being said, I definitely want to be a dog-owner one day! I want a big dog that I can run with.
3. Do you believe in fate?
Nope. I believe that things happen because of choices we make, not because they were “meant to be”. I also believe that sometimes bad things happen simply because someone is in the wrong place at the wrong time.
4. Do you believe in karma?
So, even though I don’t believe in “fate” I do believe in Karma and getting what’s coming to you. I think that people who put bad energy into the world and who are mean to other people will get what’s coming to them!
5. Everyone has a unique laugh. Do you like yours?
Meh, it’s OK. Kind of “cack-ly” I suppose. It can also be really loud.
6. Is love really all you need?
Ooooh, this question really touches on some of the deep posts I’ve been pondering. I think that love is all you need but it’s not love for another person; it’s love for yourself and who you are. And that’s as deeply as I’ll get into it. For today anyways!
7. What’s your take on the whole 2012 scare?
Meh, again. Similar to the whole 2000 scare. I don’t really think anything of it. I do want to see the movie, though!
8. If you won a million dollars and had to give it all away, who would you give it to? (Family and friends not included.)
I would give it to charity. I would give half to the Heart and Stroke Foundation because it’s a foundation that is special to me since heart disease runs in my family. I think I would use half of the other half for animal rights groups (NOT PETA) but like the local SPCA and Humane Society and stuff. Animal cruelty pretty much reduces me to tears all the time.
With the final quarter, I would give it to some sort of organization that helps under privileged children!
9. Do you believe in God/religion/the power of prayer?
I do believe in being spiritual, in a higher power and in the power of good thoughts/positive thinking and prayer.
For the most part, I do not believe in organized religion; at least not for me and my life.
10. What New Year’s Resolution do you always make but never keep?
For the longest time it was the resolution to lose weight but then I achieved that in 2008. Since then I haven’t really made any New Year’s Resolutions!
I’m curious to know what you guys think about fate and karma? Do you believe that things are meant to be or do you believe that our choices determine who we are/where we are/where we’ll end up in life?
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m a firm believer in karma and I do believe that things are meant to be because it makes me cope better in certain situations. If it makes me feel better about not getting a job I applied for or about a family member passing, then I’m going to believe it.
I definitely believe in karma, but I have a hard time believing in fate. It’s a little scary to think that your path in life is already determined by some higher power. I like to think that your decisions create your destiny.
Ooo, I have stuff to write about today, but now I really want to do Ten on Tuesday haha- those were fun questions just like Lisa’s were last week. I suppose I can always move stuff to tomorrow
Anyway, I agree with you about fate being about the choices we make, but I also think sometimes there is like a crazy series of events that lead us to one place. For example, I met Eric one night 5 years ago (as of last Friday!). The night I met him I wouldn’t have even been out except it was my friend’s birthday and we had been supposed to go out the week before, but a huge snowstorm came and we had to postpone (we had a limo and all that, it was her 21st). If you want to back up a bit, I was originally supposed to be in Australia that semester, but I had to switch to first semester for a bunch of random reasons- and then a friend and I were going to go to Italy second semester but I decided not to because I had already been gone a long time. etc etc etc. Yes, those were all choices I made (well, not about the snowstorm haha) but if I had made them (or the weather had made them, or those around me had made them) just a little bit differently my life would be completely different right now. In a lot of ways I believe in the quote, “whats meant to be will always find a way…” But that doesn’t mean a lot of bad stuff may not have to happen first
PS. just read Lindsay’s comment above- I don’t believe that my fate is already decided for me though… I get to pick definitely.
I believe that some things are meant to be, but you have to actively do something in order to participate in them. They’re not just going to happen. Like meeting someone - you have to work at that, it’s not just going to fall into your lap.
Glad you played along this week!
I like your answer for the all you need is love question. That is SO true!!
I 100% believe in karma. What comes around goes around. And I have seen it happen for sure.
And the 2012 scare….Im pretty sure the guy that was making the calendars died of old age when he got to 2012. And no one wanted the task of picking up where he left off. Personally I call that laziness.
I’d like to say I believe in karma, or whatever you want to call it - I think if you’re a good person with a good heart, good things will come to you, and if you’re a bastard, you deserve a bird crapping on your head. In recent years I’ve been pondering the question of fate… and I’m kind of sitting with believing in a higher power having a plan for us, but as Becky said, you have to actively participate for things to happen. Looking back on my life I see some enormous mistakes - but ones without which I wouldn’t be where I am today, and as bad as they were at the time, I’m thankful I got to grow from them, and without them I never would have known any different.
Totally loved your answer for #6! So true!
As far as fate/karma goes, I am with you, I believe the choices we make inevitably lead us down the paths our lives take but karma is the real deal. You get back what you put out.
I guess in many ways I believe in karma. If you’re positive and consistently exude that vibe, I think positive things will come back to you.
As far as fate, I feel like I have a different answer to that depending on the day.
for the longest time - I always said - if it’s meant to be, it’ll be. and i do believe that, but naturally you have to make your own way. but it’s still meant to be, it’ll be. =) sometimes you can’t force things to happen.
karma - oh yes, i do think that karma exists.
I have a funny story — sometimes if i’m having bad luck with driving, and people just seem to be really stupid and cut me off. I wish bad karma on them. well my fiance never understood that until one day he was walking and 1 guy almost hit him when he had the right of way. and my fiance was like i wish bad karma on that person. then he was like, oh i totally get what erin’s thinking! =) i don’t do it often, but there are times when i do!
I don’t believe in fate. At all. If I did, what would be the point in going out there and living my life everyday? I dunno, it’s always seemed like a load of crap to me. But I also don’t feel like my life needs a purpose.
Karma as it is define by Buddha is not something I can really hang my hat on because it also has that “everything happens for a reason” thing attached to it. But I do believe in balance and that what goes around? It comes back around. Somehow. So I try to live my life in such a way that good things will come back around, but I understand that sometimes bad things happen to good people.
I’m quite big on pre-destiny and fate. I picked up my wife in a bar. if we hadn’t met there, i’m sure it would have been at the grocery store, or on the street somewhere. if we were meant to be together we were meant to be together because of fate, not the choice i made to (accidentally) steal her barstool while she was in the ladies room.
1. What is your favorite travel destination spot?
I haven’t traveled extensively to places several times, but I love Paris, London and San Francisco. I would go back to any of these places in a heartbeat.
2. Cats vs. Dogs.
Cats. Hands down. No contest.
3. Do you believe in fate?
Both. I believe that we are given a choice to follow God’s path or our own path. God knows what is down all paths (because he is all-knowing) but He doesn’t *force* anyone to do anything, because then we’d all be mindless robots and who wants that? But He certainly wants and encourages us to make the right decisions, but when that doesn’t work out, God certainly isn’t standing around going, “Well now what do I do?”
4. Do you believe in karma?
Yes, but for different reasons. I think karma is more of a human force than a God force. I think if you are a mean, spiteful person then people will naturally not want to be around you and human emotions will work against you.
5. Everyone has a unique laugh. Do you like yours?
I’m not sure. I’ve never listened to it outside my head so I’m not sure if it’s annoying or not.
6. Is love really all you need?
No. I also require insulin.
7. What’s your take on the whole 2012 scare?
Not gonna happen. They’ve already debunked that one.
8. If you won a million dollars and had to give it all away, who would you give it to? (Family and friends not included.)
I would give half to the Diabetes Research Institute and a half to a children’s organization. Not sure which one, maybe UNICEF. I’d have to research.
9. Do you believe in God/religion/the power of prayer?
Indeed I do. Been a Christian for almost 10 years now.
10. What New Year’s Resolution do you always make but never keep?
Lose weight…
I believe that everything happens for a reason. I have found that even the crap that I’m looking at and wondering how on earth it’s going to turn into something good, ultimately does, and when I get past it, I can see how it all fit together.
That’s as close to believing in fate as I can get. I don’t believe our lifes are pre-planned and that things are just going to happen as they’re supposed to happen regardless of our own actions. I dunno … hard to explain, I guess.
And karma? I hadn’t really thought about it, but yes, I guess I do, actually.
I believe in both fate and karma. And that cats are awesome.
my laugh is definitely like a cackle at times. gets out of control when something is really funny.
I don’t believe in karma or fate. If you go to Chelsea’s blog and read her answers about them, she puts it the best way. And I totally agree with her.
And sorry, I’m a dog person. I’ve never actually owned a cat, though, so who knows. It WOULD be nice to be able to leave my cat alone for many long hours and not have to worry about him. That would be a definite plus.
I’m curious to know what you guys think about fate and karma? Do you believe that things are meant to be or do you believe that our choices determine who we are/where we are/where we’ll end up in life?
I believe that our choices in life determine who/what/where we are in life. I do, however, believe in karma and the “Do unto other as they would do unto you” thing. (If I even got that right). Like a while ago, myself and my welder boyfriend and welder roommate were laughing at my plumber friend who couldn’t figure it out and made a mess while he was at school. Two weeks later, my furnace quit working and plumber friend laughed, saying “Oh gee, remember how you were laughing at me? Well, plumbers fix furnaces too.” How clever karma is!
I do think everything happens for a reason, but I think it’s the choices/decisions we make that cause everything to happen for a reason. And some things don’t happen for a reason too (aka break-ups). I’m not sure if I can say it’s fate or divine intervention or just human reasoning but surely things happen for a reason, otherwise we are all living in one big chaotic mess or nothing is as it seems and doesn’t really mean anything and that would be kind of sad.
I definitely think that what goes around comes around and that you doing unto others as they would have do to you is true. Frustrating because I guess some people don’t live by this rule but eventually their bad deeds and negative energy will come back to bite them in the butt.
I loved reading your answers - I might have to do this survey tonight!
I don’t believe in fate. To me, the concept of “fate” kinda seems like an easy answer for why things happened the way they did, if you know what I mean. I agree with you that our choices make our fate. And I really like what Nora said up there about choices making things happen for a reason. Karma though? I DO believe in it. That’s how I make myself feel better about what has happened with a couple of exes. I just keep thinking: karma will catch up to them. (this is where I do an evil cackle)
I don’t believe in karma for religious reasons… but even without that, I don’t think I would. There are some pretty terrible people out there that get away with it. And there are some truly awesome people out there that have seriously crappy things happen to them.
I believe in fate and karma. But at the same I believe in fate, I also believe that your choices & your karma affect your overall fate.
And finally, cats v. dogs. That is a hard one. I love my Pug to death, but I am still more of a cat person. But I like to say I am a cat and dog person–I have a necklace that is interchangeable–on one side there is a dog & then you flip it over, and there’s a cat. The best of both worlds.
Hi Amber!
Great Blog today - its been a while since I have read your posts, and I picked a great day!
I believe that if it’s meant to be, its up to me. You can really only control a small percentage of all the contributing circumstances.
Karma - yes. Fate - yes. I believe that we all have a divine greatness to live a life of true abundance and we need to find what that is and walk among it.
Cats - yes!!
Love your answer to #6, you can’t love anyone else if you don’t love yourself!!
New years resolutions, in my opinion, are for people who don’t set goals!
Love and miss you like crazy!!
Have a Great February!!
xo.
tam
I firmly believe in both fate and karma. But I feel that with every decision/action/etc you make that it potentially alters your fate. I hated the idea of God knowing every choice you would ever make in your lifetime that I was taught in school.
Don’t like dogs; give me cats anyday! I don’t enjoy camping either; give me LUXURY :P. Umm, I like my voice as it sounds in my head, but not as it sounds on recording. Not sure about my laugh, I have quite a few different ones. I grew up in a Christian family, but not sure about organised religion anymore. I do believe generally in some sort of karma, and reaping what you sow for sure. Man, I should start just doing these Tuesday things myself!
i believe in karma. you get what you deserve. totally true.
That was really interesting! “2012″ is a great film by the way - half terrifying, half ridiculous, but I’d thoroughly recommend it!
I’m like you… not a big fan of fate, because I think you have to work for everything you get. I do believe in karma though. I think that what you put out there, you get back 10x more, so that’s why I always make a point to be the best person I can be (*most of the time)
I don’t really believe in fate. I think our choices have everything to do with where we end up in our life. I’m actually reading “Time Traveler’s Wife” right now, have you read it? It has got me thinking a LOT about this kind of stuff; how much we control in our life, why things happen, the whole idea of time. I was actually thinking about writing a blog post about it!
Very interesting questions this week!
I have mixed feelings about fate and karma. For the most part I just try to believe in myself and in other people.
I’ve only ever had cats! The dude goes NUTS ever time he sees a dog though. I fear there is one in my future. Ah ha ha
I used to be such a cat person, but have recently come around to the “Dog” side of things! although we do have 3 cats at home that I completely adore! and they’re much easier to have around if you aren’t home all the time
Karma - YES, agree with you completely. Fate - I think there are certain things that are “meant” to happen, but they happen because of choices we make. I’m interested to read your next post…
Oh boy I hate my laugh… I don’t even know if I HAVE a laugh???
Webster is so cute he could even make ME a cat person. I’m not really one though because i’m allergic… and hoping to get a DOG… within the next 2 years?? Maybe?