There is a popular legend that there is an intangible thread of destiny that connects two people who are meant to be together. These people are destined to be together regardless of any circumstances and obstacles.
Nothing and no one can break apart two people who are destined to be together and who are bound by the invisible thread.
This thread is the color red which is a color of love and desire. According to the legend, the Gods bind a red thread around the ankles of the people who are meant to meet with each other and stay or help one another in some way.
This myth comes from an old East Asian belief. And the concept is very similar to the popular Western belief of ‘soulmates’ and ‘twin flames.’ The only difference is that this belief focuses more on the premise of being “tied” to someone instead of looking to find your other half.
The tale behind the red thread…
It is believed that one night, one young boy noticed an old man reading a book when he was walking home. He asked the old man what kind of book he was reading, and the man replied that it was a marriage book. Then, he said to the young boy that his destiny was to get married to one girl. But, when he revealed the girl to the boy, the boy immediately refused the idea of ever getting married. Moreover, he got so angry that he threw a rock at the girl and started running away as fast as he could.
Years have passed and the boy was in an arranged marriage with the most beautiful girl in the whole village. However, when he took off her veil, he noticed a scar… His wife had a scar over her left eyebrow. And when the boy asked her about the scar, she told him that when she was little, some boy had thrown a rock at her and ran away.
The boy was speechless… This was proof of the fated event that the old man had predicted.
The meaning it holds…
This legend speaks of succumbing to a higher power. No matter how much the thread tangles and stretches, fate will always take its course, and everything will be as it is supposed to be.
However, even when you find the person who is on the other end of the string, that doesn’t mean that things are going to be easy. It will still take work and effort. This proverb is just a reminder that we need to be loyal, devoted, and compassionate partners. To always stay faithful to each other.
Of course, there will be times when you and your partner will be separated or distant, physically or emotionally, but that will not affect the string that connects you two together. The power of that string is infinite.
Or, in the words of Rumi… “The minute I heard my first love story I started looking for you, not knowing how blind I was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.”
