"We know everything. Past. Present. And future."

Fate is such a hard concept to grasp. Many people don't believe in fate or destiny, but in creating your own path and following your own will. On the other hand, many people do believe strongly in the power of fate and of karma. Is it really that we believe that things are meant to be or is it a romantic notion that helps us understand exactly why things happen the way they do? The thought of being destined to be with a certain person is a warm, comforting feeling that brings purpose, determination, and desire. What is strange about fate is that people will hold onto a thought or a preconceived notion without any insight as to what might happen. You believe you are destined to be with someone, yet you have no earthly idea who that someone might be. With many of the people you date or casually bump into, you think, "Maybe he is my soulmate. He was destined for me." Or, "Why did I bump into him? Why didn't I say 'Hello'?" If fate really controls our lives, then wouldn't that missed opportunity be brought back into your life somehow? Or did you just completely alter the course of fate by not saying 'hello'? How is it that two people who once thought they were each other's soulmate, wind up marrying another, possibly having children, getting a divorce, and end up falling into each other's laps again? Is that a stroke of destiny or is the choice you made to go back to a comfortable position with someone who already knows you? That way you don't have to go through the hassle of getting to know anyone new. Is it fate that brought you back in sync or just a compilation of steps through life that added up to this very moment?