You may have gathered by now that I love a good story. I am a hopeless romantic and a serial day dreamer, but nothing peaks my interest more than a good old myth, legend or fable.
This one in particular happens to be all of my favourite things rolled into one neat little package. It’s romantic, thought-provoking, awe-inspiring and just so darn beautiful that I feel duty-bound to share it with you.
This is the legend of the red thread and hails like many beautiful myths from Japan.
The basis of this legend is that, thanks to the Gods, everyone’s little finger is tied to an invisible red string that will lead him or her to another person to which the other end is tied and with whom they have an important story.
According to legend, this is true to all people, regardless of time, place or circumstance.
Along your string other people’s threads will cross, the lines will touch and sometimes become tangled for a while, but the end of the string will always be there attached to that one person waiting for you to reach it.
The string may tangle, contract or stretch but it can never break.
The legend of the red thread teaches us, that through a labyrinth of encounters there is a pre-determined and perfect path set out for us by the thread; connecting us on our irrevocable route towards our ultimate destination. Along the way progress, assistance, direction or clarity will be found on the edge of another person’s string with whom you have crossed.
The chance encounters, the brushes with fate, and the crisscross of stories, all create a limitless scarlet tapestry of woven threads that would not only be beautiful to behold but awe-inspiring and brain-fuddling to try to unwrap.
It makes me think back to encounters through my life: the people I have met, the jobs I have worked, the help I have given and the help I have received, the friendships and relationships; good, bad and indifferent - all of the journeys I have been a part of outside of my own. I look to the future with limitless curiosity, wondering who will cross my path next and what part we have to play in each other’s future.
Few people will know that when I was 17 I worked for Blue Arrow for a short time as a care assistant. This is when I was a struggling college student who needed a good stable income while I studied, I only did it for a year before moving on to follow my path. Now, 20 years on here I am writing for Blue Arrow, drawing on my experience as someone who has been there in the trenches. So, the question is, did my old job with Blue Arrow help me on my way as I thought or was it setting me up for this opportunity that was destined to be in my future? See…. mind blown!
Through this blog our threads have now crossed, for reasons unknown we have been instrumental to each other’s journey, perhaps for you in being introduced to this concept and maybe for me by finding a new reader, who knows. One thing is for sure, if this legend is to be believed, there is no such thing as chance there are only destined paths, and yours is without a doubt going to lead you somewhere amazing.
