After this, I would find myself drawn to Him frequently. It was during these days that we would walk amongst nature. He talked very little, and seemed almost to be listening to the heartbeat of the world itself. The ebb and flow of it's enormous lungs. The flow of blood in its veins.

I would often ask Him questions as we walked. He would always stop, as though giving it His undivided attention for a moment, then continue on walking as He answered.

As we grew to know each other over the first week, I asked Him why He had chosen me that day on the beach. He stopped for a moment, and looked at me with His bright clear eyes and kind smile, before turning to face the sea.

He replied 'During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself." The general then threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.

'After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "We win today though hopelessly outnumbered because no man can change destiny." To which the general smiled and held out his hand. The lieutenant looked down into his palm as the general turned the coin with his thumb. There was a head on both sides.

I wondered then - is there such a thing as destiny? As fate? As pre-determination?

'Ah' He said, as though reading my thoughts 'A childs trick cannot change the nature of the universe. It is the nature of the universe itself that allows such a trick to work.'

Again He smiled, and we walked on.