Sometimes I wonder...

I wonder what my life would be like if I'd taken different paths, or other people had taken different paths that didn't affect me the way they did. Does that make sense? Like what IF I had decided not to move to Vernal after breaking up with my ex-fiancee. Would I have still decided to go to New York? And if I didn't go to New York would I have thought to contact Chris (after a 5 year absence)? What if I would have moved to Hawaii with my sort-of fling in New York when he asked me instead of following my heart and moving back to Utah? Is life just one long chain of random happenings, or will certain events in our lives happen regardless of the choices we make? Is "destiny" (for lack of a better word) truly what determines the shape our lives will take? I know not everything happens for a reason, but I also know that a lot does. I know that the Lord puts people, places, things, choices in our way to help us learn lessons we may not have any other way. But if our ultimate goal is in mind (even if it's in the back) will we eventually reach it regardless of the choices you make on the way there?