The philosophical idea of destiny and the interconnectedness of events are conveyed beautifully through Master Oogway’s profound words “There are no accidents” in Kung Fu Panda. Seemingly random events leading to significant outcomes and the undeniable fact that everything happens for a reason are a part of this unforgettable 2008 film dripping with wisdom. A recent happening brought these words back with utmost clarity as I shook my head in disbelief at what had transpired from a chance meeting. After playing the ‘go’ ‘don’t go’ game many times in my head, I forced myself to attend a mid-afternoon awards event on the invitation of the warm and friendly daughter of the award winner, at the Telugu university next to Hyderabad’s famous public garden a couple of days ago.
Students from the dance department of the university were performing an energetic dance, as I entered the venue a few minutes ahead. The gentleman had come all the way from America to receive the award and I thought it fit to meet him before the event unfolded. Since he couldn’t walk up the stairs, he was seated in a wheelchair in a room that led right up to the stage from where he could be wheeled in. It was at a table of one of the university employees and as I sat down speaking to the man who had won the award for translating a book on the life of his grandfather who was taken as indentured labour to Africa, another gentleman who sat next to him immediately asked me who I was. “I have heard your voice… I have seen you” he started saying as he tried to recall who I was. Before I could even utter a word, recognition dawned on him and he recollected that I was the journalist whose interview he had seen. “I heard every word of your interview and wrote a detailed article on the same in the university magazine “Telugu Vani” as I felt it would inspire our students” the gentleman continued. He is apparently a former employee who still writes for the magazine.
I was clueless about the magazine and told him so when he asked me if I knew the exact date of the interview. I checked my Whats app chats and discovered that it was telecast on 13th November 2022. The gentleman went into a room where copies of these magazines were kept and found the issue that had my interview in under 10 minutes. “I am glad that I could find it and give it to you. Please keep it” he said as he respectfully handed over the issue to me. I was stunned because I got the issue on 12th November in the same month exactly two years later. Was my attending the event and sitting in a room with just three people when the event had more than a hundred people an accident? Was my resolve to attend the event despite initial reluctance an accident? Was the person who wrote the article in the room at the same time as me by accident?
As I sat through the event clutching the magazine in my hand, I couldn’t help but remember Master Oogway. This incident brought back many memories of other random unplanned events that had brought new job opportunities, friends and experiences that have remained part of my journey. Yes, there are no accidents. The good, bad and ugly, the beautiful, cherished and precious, everything that stirs this mortal frame, was meant to be. Whatever has to come to you will reach you at the right time. Never before, never after. This spurt of wisdom however comes with renewed vigour after every “chance encounter’ which we know is never by chance. It was meant to be.