A Shared Destiny | A Parable on God’s Commitment to Desire

What has God got to do with starting a business? For me, it was the beginning of my journey–into discovering my potential, my abilities, my capabilities as well as my own desires.

What is desire? The etymological roots of this word has nothing to do with evil, with which the word has become so closely associated. Rather, a desire is a wish, a longing and an expression of a desire. It comes from the Latin word desiderare, the original sense being that one is awaiting what the stars will bring. The phrase de sidere “from the stars” means “heavenly body, star, constellation”.

Much like humans, words have roots. They spring into existence to express our thoughts, our ideas, our ideals and sometimes even our arguments. The way we choose to use these words change over time. When we speak thoughtlessly or carelessly, we disparage the gift of words. When we spoil or taint their meaning somehow, we can create so much chaos in the world. When we choose to misunderstand, distort or fashion these words in a way that is dishonest, we hurt others… as well as ourselves.

There are many gifts we possess when we come into this world. For some, it is mathematics; for others, it’s an aptitude for art. And a select few are born with green fingers–the natural ability to grow and raise plants and vegetables. Based on our gifts, we all have a destination that was prepared for us before we were born.

A Shared Destiny

The word destiny has its roots in destination. It has very little to do with the journey and everything to do with the goal one is trying to reach. In Hinduism, the Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess not of wealth per se–although that is a goal of life according to Hindu beliefs. Lakshmi Ma, rather, is the Goddess who can lead us to our goals. Some of these goals will be tangible in nature, while others will be intangible. Some of these goals will be attainable, while others will be unattainable.

What are we here to attain, to establish and to make firm? The whole idea of destiny in its original sense was ‘the action of intending someone or something for a purpose’. From the 19th century, it came to mean ‘being destined for a place’, hence the place itself.

What is your destination–your goal? Forget about setting smart goals and KPIs. That will inevitably come later on. First, think of your soul’s agenda on planet earth. What destination did your soul promise God that it would reach before you were born? You probably don’t remember meeting God before you were born–but I think you most likely did. There’s a lot that we don’t remember, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

Before you can make a commitment to anyone or anything–remember that the first commitment you made is the one you made to God–to your higher calling, to your higher self. No matter how down and out you get, this promise is a two-way binding. God has committed to you and you have committed to God.

In the Bible, there exists the concept of a covenant–a binding contract which was made between God and Mankind. In scripture, the concept of a covenant is a dominant theme and serves as a foundation to the story of us all as God’s people. In a literal sense, a covenant means a binding agreement and a legal contract that is a sealed between two or more parties.

A significant covenant in the Bible is the one that God made with Abraham. The sacrifice of animals was not uncommon in the Near East and two families would conduct this same ceremony in the creation of a marriage covenant. Through the Covenant that God made with Abraham, God promised him that he would be the father of numerous nations. His descendants would be as numerous as the stars. This promise was made at a time when Abraham and his wife Sarah were barren.

If you’ve ever wondered–what is my purpose–you are not alone in that quest. But exactly what destination or destiny did you commit to? What did you promise God and what promise was made to you when the thought itself was not yet materialised–and existed in the form of pure consciousness?

Abraham’s story, like the story of many founding fathers, would change the course–not only of our own individual destiny–but of the shared destinies of many nations; that were interwoven together well before they were even born.

You begin your journey towards your destination by understanding what you have been running away from your entire life. So tell me, what have you been running away from? And do you think that you can actually run away?

The Desire

Ever since I was a little child, I was fascinated by how large, magnificent and glorious the world was. From the depths of the oceans, to the starry landscape of our night sky–the world felt like it was so big and magnificent and wondrous. I felt like a child. In such a big world where there is always something new to discover, how can one not feel like a child?

I walk by the river and play with the mimosa plant. It is such a tiny thing, and yet it is so magnificent. You touch it, even a gentle touch, and it will close. I started playing with them when I was a kid, and it still hasn’t gotten old.

Think about your inner child. How does it like to play? You can tell me that you’re not a kid anymore. That you’re too old to play with mimosas. I am not talking about your biological age. I am talking about how we are all God’s children.

Life is a school, yes. It can be a very tough school at times with some terrible and strict teachers, but this school is also a vast playground full of wondrous big and small things for you to discover and play with.

When you remember your inner child, don’t just think of your parents, but think of yourself as a child of God. When you see this child, you will finally see your True Self.

You will finally remember and recall the covenant you made with God before you were born.