Free Will or Forged Destiny?

Wouldn't it be comforting to know that our lives have already been set to stage? NO! I do not believe in destiny at all. I believe in the free will of the people to mold their lives into whatever they desire. I feel it would be foolish to say that no matter what choice you make, you were already destined to make that choice. Although, it would take a load off my shoulders, but perhaps render me lazy? What thought would have to go into making any decisions? What pro's and con's lists would I have to write up anymore? None, it wouldn't matter if such is true.

It seems as though there exists a large population in this world that believes the opposite. Many religious groups tend to believe that we are here for our personal "mission" to fulfill. The Hindu main-character in Jasmine seems to believe in just that. " An arm reaching to the neck, the swift slice, the end of my mission...what if my mission was not yet over?" (p 177). Jasmine has certainly owned her mission and recognizes that a higher power has control over where her life takes her. And perhaps other people, her late husband, for example have given her an identity to live by. "He laughed again and told me to stop regressing into the feudal Jyoti. 'You are Jasmine now. You can't jump into wells.'" (p 92).

Jasmine's religion plays a large role in the way she lives her life. It is her traditional belief that "my body was merely a shell, soon to be discarded." (p 121). and later in the book, " Theoretically, I believe in reincarnation...I am astounded by all this, the American need to make intuition so tangible, to possess a vision so privately. (p 125). As shown here through her words, we are all just pods that hold souls with a higher purpose. Our minds should not plan for private wants or needs, because all that does not matter in the bigger picture. Our bodies can be discarded just like an empty container.

When Jasmine's journey to America brings her in contact with a helpful woman within her first few days her, she is again, shown a different perspective. I feel this perspective is a hybrid of both Jasmine's traditional views and a more individualistic view of the world. The woman tells Jasmine, "You never know how the Good Lord intends to test you." ( p 135). This presents the idea that although our destinies are pre-determined, the lord will test us on the way. Some of us will fight to get to where we need to be and others will fall. Perhaps this is a turning point for Jasmine as she enters America and starts to blend her old self with her new self.

I would be most comforted to know that I have free will. I do believe that the lord (some higher being) will throw many challenges in my path, yet over-coming those obstacles will feel 100 times better. If life there was no pain in life, happiness wouldn't feel so great. Perhaps the higher power does know where we will end up in life, we just have to prove it to ourselves that we can make it there.