RED STRING THEORY READING GROUP GUIDE

Dear Reader:

Thank you for choosing to read Red String Theory. Or maybe you reading this book was always meant to happen…? For a long time, I have been mystified and intrigued by fate, the idea of soulmates, and by the events that occur in our lives that we call “signs.” I have had enough “coincidences” and weirdly timed moments in my life that I can’t not be a believer that there’s something bigger at play in the universe. And while I can’t confirm that it’s fate, red string, lucky timing, or me reading too much into something, I do know that there’s something beautiful in believing.

I find it remarkable that fate can be perceived to have an impact on who we’re meant to be with, as in the case of the Red Thread of Fate, or on what we’re meant to do with our lives. In Red String Theory, Rooney and Jack attend a zhuā zhōu ceremony. Zhuā zhōu is a Chinese ritual that takes place at a child’s first birthday party where a variety of objects are placed in front of the child. The idea is that the object the baby picks indicates what their future career will be. A calculator might mean working in finance or the sciences. A stethoscope or thermometer symbolizes the medical field. An instrument represents that a life in music is what the child has to look forward to. Pick up a book or a pen? Hello, career in the literary arts.

I find this custom to be especially thought-provoking and fate-itious. Are we truly destined to become what we grab from an assortment of objects? Or is it because we’re told what we selected and therefore our lives are guided in that direction along the way? I contemplate this often because I had a zhuā zhōu ceremony as a baby. My parents set out a coin, a pill bottle, candy, a pencil, and Legos. Can you guess what I picked? It’s going to sound made up, but I grabbed… a pencil and the piece of candy. These selections make a lot of sense given I’m a writer and have a culinary background, but my mom reminded me of my zhuā zhōu picks only recently. Did fate have a hand in how I ended up where I am? Or has this knowledge been lingering in my subconscious all along, influencing my choices at various decision points? What if it was a little bit of both?

I think the sweet spot exists in the balance between fate and choice. There’s something romantic about the idea of fate, but there’s also beauty and power in being able to make choices about your career path, who you love, and who you want to be. Maybe it’s a blend of choice and fate that allows us to feel in control while also being open to what life has in store. However you view it, I hope fate brings you close enough to choose.

With love,