What do you think about randomness? How big a role does randomness play in your life?
Serendipity, coincidence or luck, I’m not sure if I’ll ever even come close to understanding the power of these.
This thought came to my mind while listening to a speech by Amy Tan, the author of best selling books like The Joy Luck Club. She talked about the process of creating something out of nothing. Some of the experiences that she had with randomness while she’s in the process of writing her books were fascinating. You can check out her talk at TED.
I think most people whom I’ve met, who work in the creative industry, know and acknowledge that when they create something, it’s not all them. Yes, you put in the hours and the hard work, but you know the inspiration is not all you.
Do you notice sometimes when you are in a quest for something, things that you are looking for suddenly pops up in front of you and the opportunity shows itself, just when you need it. The weird thing is, sometimes those things have always been there. It’s just that you didn’t notice them before. Or somewhere somehow, you meet someone who mentions something, a word, or shows an expression, that makes something inside you click and you say “that’s what I’ve been looking for”. Where does that come from? How do you thank randomness?
It’s like there’s a greater power at play, which helps you get to where you need to be. But first you have to want to be aware of these possibilities and somewhat let go of yourself a little bit and be ready to go with where this ‘randomness’ takes you. The ‘letting go’ part is key. Otherwise, you won’t notice even if you are staring at it. If you are too structured and closed, you think you don’t need anything else except yourself, how far can you go, right?
That’s the secular point of view, at least.
For me personally, if I’m not able to explain or comprehend something doesn’t mean that the thing is a coincidence or just randomness at play. Nothing comes out of thin air. There is always a reason. All blessings come from Allah and He knows best. All praises due to God.
I hope we will all find what’s best for us. If not now, eventually.
