People often say “this comes on my path” or “that person crossed my path”. I never really felt it that way. Sometimes you meet somebody interesting, often not. Often I have heard that I’m sent from God. This is also quite new to me because in Holland religion and God is not so much woven into culture and speech. But in Israel, the Arab countries and here in India that is very different. Of course this is flattering to hear. But it is not part of my own mental framework.

If I’m correct the idea of a Divine plan is strongest in the Hindu tradition. Everything has a reason, everything is pre-planned by God. I don’t like it so much when it is used as a justification. When I say I met an interesting person on the beach and somebody says with an air of self-evidence: well son, this is what God has planned for you. They make it into a statement that makes them ‘right’ and the conversation stops.