He was asked “where have you been?” to which he answered, rather simply if not naively, “right here, all the time.”

Such is what is- as it is, as it was, and, I suppose, as it was always meant to be. And once meant to be it can be nothing else whatsoever. Time is, after all, destiny.

I never left, I just took a leave. There are those who may have left and I have known any number of them. Family, friends, co-workers, mild acquaintances, have all taken leave of me as I have done in return of them. And no one mourns the loss of the other it would seem.

Still there are times…and destinies.

Funny how moments and lives can turn on single point and wind up somewhere other than where they were going, intended or not. And sometimes we see it but far too often I believe that we do not; never have and never will.

What happened when you took that different route to work last month? Or, even more vexing, what did not? Did you save time or did you avoid death? What else changed for you and what else was changed for others?

I once allowed a lady to cut in line at a deli- she seemed to be in such a rush. She was young and rather attractive and was there with a friend. I heard them talking. She was complaining that she had turned thirty and was no closer to being married and having a family than she had ever been. Maybe even farther from it. She thanked me for my kindness again before leaving but perhaps she shouldn’t have. Had she been delayed by the few minutes that my kindness had allowed her to save she would have bumped into a young man who had been destined to be her lifelong soulmate, if only they had met. My kindness had cost them both and they went on to live rather nondescript and somewhat miserable lives.

Or so I am told. It made me stop being kind and courteous to people but perhaps that has cost even more. Perhaps.

Tomorrow is promised to no one it has been said. True but what does it really mean? The next minute, the next hour, the rising of the sun and the turn of a friendly card are also promised to no one but still they happen, to someone, somewhere, sometime. Maybe just not to you or me or to anyone we know.

There is always a reason to have hope I believe. So many good moments burst forth at the least expected times and places.

So keep on keepin’ on and don’t worry where I’ve been- or where you are or even hope to be.

It’s good to have a dream so go and follow yours. And if you don’t have one then perhaps you can find your own or share another until the day that you do.

Destiny may exist but I doubt we’ll ever be able to prove it much.