Have you noticed how often this sentence is used lately. I think it’s supposed to be comforting in some way; that God or Fate or Karma has brought you to this place not your own actions – good or bad. That you are in a place where you are fulfilling your destiny – good or bad.

If where I am now is where I’m supposed to be then someone please tell me who the hell I pissed off. Oh, am I supposed to be learning some life lesson? Yeah, I have learned a life lesson, yet again I have learned that NO is a really useful word. I should use it much more often. Okay, hind sight is 20/20 – what do I do now?

I am where I am because of my own actions and some new-agey guru is going to tell me that’s because I still have lessons to learn in life – yeah, well if I have to learn any more life lessons can I just get the text book and skip the field trip?

There are a lot of people who are in dire straits – you think it’s comforting to them to hear “You are where you are supposed to be”? I think probably not.

Perhaps I am misinterpreting the meaning of this sentence. But I don’t find it comforting in any way. I am personally responsible for my situation, MY bad decision. What of people who were adversely affected by the financial debacle? What life lesson are they learning – don’t put your money in a bank? Good one, hugely helpful. Don’t invest your money with a well regarded brokerage company? Another good lesson. All of these people are experiencing the effects of their karma? I don’t think so.

You can invent as many explanations of this concept as you, and they are all self-serving. I think it needs to be retired from the rhetoric of the righteous. It’s been used so often it no longer has any meaning, if indeed it ever did.

I am not supposed to be anywhere in particular. I am where my choices took me. I know the reasons for the choices I have made – I know where my stupidity comes from. Please don’t tell me my choices were directed by fate or karma or destiny or whatever ooga-booga you’re selling – I’m not buying it.

“You are where you are supposed to be” puts me in mind of that “soul mate” tripe, and tripe makes me barf.