---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal…"
description: "\"“what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal leans back, too. oh, lots of things. lots and lots of things all pushed up against each other that makes some..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png"
---

#  what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal leans back, too…

![“what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal leans back, too. oh, lots of things. lots and lots of things all pushed up against each other that makes something else happen. so much pushing it just can't happen any other way - unless you push back to make it not.” quote by Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png)

> ““what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal leans back, too. oh, lots of things. lots and lots of things all pushed up against each other that makes something else happen. so much pushing it just can't happen any other way - unless you push back to make it not. ””

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Multiple pressures intersect, creating outcomes that feel inevitable unless we actively resist.

**In simple terms:** Pressures combine to shape events unless we push back.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge forces that drive you.

Themes

fate agency pressure choice

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal decisions
- career moves
- relationship dynamics
- creative projects

Key Concepts

determinism free will causality

Questions to Reflect On

- What pressures are shaping your current path?
- How can you push back constructively?

A Different Perspective

If we accept pressure as destiny, we may never act to change it.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Asks Opal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks-opal-1163016/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Fate Opal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate-opal-1163017/) [Opal Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opal-asks-1163015/) [Opal Leans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opal-leans-1163014/) [Things Pushed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-pushed-1163018/)

## Related quotes

> [One of the things that pushed me over the edge was that people on the Left were calling me names. How many kicks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/one-of-the-things-that-pushed-me-over-the-edge-was-that-people-on-the/)

[Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/)

> [Pushing away doesn't cause things to come together, all it causes is for things to be pushed away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shea-mccullagh/pushing-away-doesn-t-cause-things-to-come-together-all-it-causes-is/)

[Shea McCullagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shea-mccullagh/)

> [“We can get a lot more things pushed through when the American people are sidetracked with concerns over their finances. Obama’s guys proved that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/we-can-get-a-lot-more-things-pushed-through-when-the-american-people/)

[Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/)

> [“The most peaceble people will do the most terrible things when they're pushed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-most-peaceble-people-will-do-the-most-terrible-things-when-they/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“I filled my head with beautiful things so the ugly things were pushed aside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-m-cameron/i-filled-my-head-with-beautiful-things-so-the-ugly-things-were-pushed/)

[Chelsea M. Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-m-cameron/)

> [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/)

[Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/)

> [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/)

[Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/)

> [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/)

[Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/)

> [“It's morning now, and I miss the soft rasp of her voice already. Ugh. I'm in trouble, aren't I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/it-s-morning-now-and-i-miss-the-soft-rasp-of-her-voice-already-ugh-i/)

[Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/)

> [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [ Man blindly works the will of fate. \[Ger., Blindlings that er blos den Willen des Geschickes.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-martin-wieland/man-blindly-works-the-will-of-fate-ger-blindlings-that-er-blos-den/)

[Christoph Martin Wieland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-martin-wieland/)

> [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/)

[Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/)

> [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Anatomy is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/anatomy-is-destiny/)

[Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/)

> [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Mary E. Pearson

> [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“abuelita speaks no english. she doesn't need to, zoe thinks. her smile fills and communicates so much more than the empty, half-said words of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/abuelita-speaks-no-english-she-doesn-t-need-to-zoe-thinks-her-smile/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [... Change doesn't happen overnight-it's molded by people who don't give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/change-doesn-t-happen-overnight-it-s-molded-by-people-who-don-t-give/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [There are all kinds of friends you make in life... But there's something different about someone who spreads their wings with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/there-are-all-kinds-of-friends-you-make-in-life-but-there-s-something/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“I shan't make a fuss over the babe's father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-shan-t-make-a-fuss-over-the-babe-s-father/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“Multiple closets for different needs. Overkill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/multiple-closets-for-different-needs-overkill/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“It is good to have many strengths, Natiya...Do not sacrifice one kind of strength for another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/it-is-good-to-have-many-strengths-natiya-do-not-sacrifice-one-kind-of/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“Somewhere beyond all that, on an unseeable horizon, was Morrighan and all the people who lived there, going about their lives, unaware. My brothers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/somewhere-beyond-all-that-on-an-unseeable-horizon-was-morrighan-and/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“I play the if game too, Tavish. It´s practically a hobby of mine, but I´ve found it´s a game of endless possibilities with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-play-the-if-game-too-tavish-it-s-practically-a-hobby-of-mine-but-i/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“He leaned back, the misery in his eyes cutting through me. "But they're only wishes Lia, because you've made promises and so have I.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/he-leaned-back-the-misery-in-his-eyes-cutting-through-me-but-they-re/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [Father says it will come in time. “Time heals,” he says. I don’t tell him that I don’t know what time is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/father-says-it-will-come-in-time-time-heals-he-says-i-don-t-tell-him/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [There is something about her eyes. Eyes don't breathe. I know that much. But hers look breathless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/there-is-something-about-her-eyes-eyes-don-t-breathe-i-know-that-much/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [But remember, child, we may all have our own story and destiny, and sometimes our seemingly bad fortune, but we're all part of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/but-remember-child-we-may-all-have-our-own-story-and-destiny-and/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [But I am more than a name. More than they tell me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/but-i-am-more-than-a-name-more-than-they-tell-me/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“I looked at her, unsure how to answer. Even after everything Mikael had done, every day I had to let go again. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-looked-at-her-unsure-how-to-answer-even-after-everything-mikael-had/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

[Explore all 148 Mary E. Pearson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

## More Destiny quotes

> [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Anatomy is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/anatomy-is-destiny/)

[Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/)

> [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/)

[Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/)

> [ Man blindly works the will of fate. \[Ger., Blindlings that er blos den Willen des Geschickes.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-martin-wieland/man-blindly-works-the-will-of-fate-ger-blindlings-that-er-blos-den/)

[Christoph Martin Wieland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-martin-wieland/)

> [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [“It's morning now, and I miss the soft rasp of her voice already. Ugh. I'm in trouble, aren't I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/it-s-morning-now-and-i-miss-the-soft-rasp-of-her-voice-already-ugh-i/)

[Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/)

> [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/)

[Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/)

> [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/)

[Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/)

> [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/)

[Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/)

> [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Destiny is the ordained intention God has sacredly prepared with your name on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-lynch/destiny-is-the-ordained-intention-god-has-sacredly-prepared-with-your/)

[John S. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-lynch/)

> [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/)

[Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/)

> [“Fate and future both are servant to the determined, for they are nothing but creation of human determination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/fate-and-future-both-are-servant-to-the-determined-for-they-are/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

[Browse all 7,925 Destiny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal leans back, too. oh, lots of things. lots and lots of things all pushed up against each other that makes something else happen. so much pushing it just can't happen any other way - unless you push back to make it not. ”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mary E. Pearson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-leans-back-too-oh-lots-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Destiny"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-leans-back-too-oh-lots-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/mary-e-pearson-2812_destiny_what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-le_1702329.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“what's fate to you, opal? she asks. opal leans back, too. oh, lots of things. lots and lots of things all…” — Mary E. Pearson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mary E. Pearson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“what's fate to you, opal? she...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-leans-back-too-oh-lots-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/what-s-fate-to-you-opal-she-asks-opal-leans-back-too-oh-lots-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```