Todd’s Take: Do You Believe in Destiny?

I don't really believe in "soul mates" like many others seemingly do. I do believe that two people can fall in love with each other and live happily ever after but I've never subscribed to the notion that there's just one special someone out there for each of us. I think the whole idea of a soul mate diminishes the capacity we have as human beings to love others.
Besides, do you really mean to tell me that the one person hand-picked for you on the entire planet went to the same high school as you?
That's defying some serious odds, right there.

That said, do I believe in destiny? Hmmm... let me think on that one for a sec.

Destiny is defined by Vocabulary.com as "what's meant to be, what's written in the stars, your inescapable fate." That's a lot for me to swallow but I was recently reminded of some evidential proof that maybe I was, indeed, destined to spend my life with my wife, Carrie.

I was introduced to my future wife by my sister Bonnie. They work together. Coicidence or destiny?

Our wedding day, December 30, 2007. We exchanged vows in our living room in front of our Christmas tree. Was that pre-ordained unbeknownst to us?

I do know this, I could not have picked a better person to raise my son, Drew.

One of the first things that attracted me to my wife was her understanding of the Infield Fly Rule. Does that mean it was "meant to be"?

I've since drug my wife to countless sporting events, besides Mariners games, and she never complains.

I'm not sure how many spouses would be cool with repping Seahawks Nation at Cooperstown, NY in 2016 before Ken Griffey, Jr.s induction in to the National Baseball Hall of Fame but my wife was.

My wife loves our family's cabin even more than I do! I think much of my extended family likes her more than me! Maybe she was the missing link all this time?

Probably the highlight of our year is spending one weekend a year together jamming to live music at Chinook Fest. Because we enjoy the same pursuits doesn't mean it was the clicking of cosmic tumblers, however.

I've never been much of a planner which is a good thing I met my wife. Give her 20 minutes to get ready and she'll fly by the seat of her pants with the best of them. Here's me "stealing" a kiss from my wife at a holiday party at renowned Yakima photographer Gary Delp's house that we got invited to last minute.

As a kid, my family was always very festive no matter the time of year. My wife loves holidays as much as any person I've ever known.

I like a good party, Carrie likes a good party. So did Jeff Spicoli. Does that necessarily mean we were destined to be a couple?

Did Carrie know early on that she would need the patience of Job in order to marry me? How my wife puts up with my antics is beyond me. She deserves a statue of her built somewhere.

All of these examples are anecdotal and coincidental -- at best. There is ONE THING, however, that gives me pause to think that maybe, just maybe, we were destined to be together. When we moved to Yakima in 1977 (I was 6) there was a carport near the backyard that my brother and other neighborhood kids played in constantly. In the cement were the names "Joel" and "Carrie". Yes, Carrie. Spelled exactly the same way my wife spells hers. I must have hit 500 career Wiffle Ball home runs in front of that not knowing that, someday, I would find the love of my life with the same name.

Was it written in the stars or, at least, concrete? Was it destiny all along? Maybe it eroded and I was supposed to be a cabbie and not a DJ? Maybe there's a dude named Joel out there somewhere that has been waiting for me for decades.

Do you believe in destiny? How did you meet the love of your life? Message me in the free 94.5 KATS mobile app!