Destiny VS Choice

FATE: the universal principle or ultimate agency by which the order of things is presumably prescribed; the decreed cause of events; that which is inevitably predetermined; destiny
DESTINY: the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.

FREE AGENCY/ CHOICE: a person who is self-determining and responsible for his or her actions; the right, power, or opportunity to choose.

Are we subjected to fate/destiny?
-has our life already been chosen for us? Are the people we know merely part of this—do we know them simply because we were destined or fated to meet them? Did we lose our job because we weren’t supposed to have it? Did we have 3 kids instead of 5 because it wasn’t meant to be more? Did we choose our profession because we were destined to do that sort of work? Did we turn the corner and meet that person on the street because it was meant to happen?

Or did we have a choice? Did we chose our path and everyday is a new adventure?
Do our choices push us to our ultimate destiny? Or does Destiny have power over the choices we make?

I heard once that when we have De Ja Vu, it is merely an echo destiny, showing that we are on the path. Or when we see someone for the first time and swear we’ve met them before, that it’s destiny reminding us that it is in control.

But don’t we have a choice? Are we puppets pulled along on the strings of Fate?

Can we change fate? Or is that simply what was fated to happen if you change a course in life? What happens if fate was changed? Does that set off a course of events that upsets universe? Karma affected?

It’s an interesting concept that has been debated a lot. But it still raises eyebrows when trying to analyze which the more believed.

Thoughts?