A Scientist, Staring Down Death
How a chance meeting at the same spot for two different events — death and rebirth — taught me to be less ‘scientific’ on life in general
I have not been one for believing in fate or destiny, or that the universe provides what is needed when it is needed. I am a scientist, an engineer. I prefer perceiving my world through objective lenses with repeatable tests and accurate measures. Believing in something I cannot see or challenge is very hard.
I can understand why individuals, societies and cultures have all built themselves around the concept of gods or higher beings, to be able to attribute the unexpected and unexplainable to something… other than chance. While I respect other people’s beliefs and opinions, I’ve still found it very hard to do. I seek out explanations for what happens, and when I cannot find evidence, I attribute it to chance or coincidence.
But while I still operate from an objective outlook, the last few years of living have helped me learn that I need not seek out explanations. Sometimes I just have to accept that things can happen for reasons I need not understand.
This story is about the steps on my life journey, which brought me to this level of acceptance. It’s not easy to recount all of this, but…
