The book of Garth Nix entitled Sabriel has a quotable quote: Does the walker choose the path or does the path choose the walker?  Sorry if that's corny but recent conversations and developments have had me asking myself precisely that question, in so many words.

I'm not a great believer in destiny or fate. I think we make choices all the time and we reap the natural consequences of what we sow.  However, I do believe that, now and then, we are offered a mission.  These are missions to do great or important things mostly for others but also for ourselves.  These are missions that we cannot ferret out for ourselves.  They have to present themselves to us. They come not by our bidding but through the convergence of circumstance and human judgment.  When we decide to embrace these missions and give of ourselves without (much) reservation, they launch us to greater levels of achievement.  If we refuse, we set ourselves back.