Everything that happens once can never happen again. But

The mystic writer Paulo Coelho gifted the world with a saying both enigmatic and timeless: “Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.” These words, simple in form, contain the pulse of ancient wisdom. They speak of cycles, of patterns, of destiny itself weaving its threads through the lives of mortals. To those with eyes to see, this teaching is a lamp, showing that chance may strike once, but repetition reveals the hand of fate.

For in the world of men, a single event may be dismissed as coincidence, a fleeting spark in the storm. Yet when the same flame rises a second time, it is no longer accident—it is a sign. And if twice, then surely thrice, for the universe itself whispers of rhythm, of recurrence, of the truth that what begins to circle cannot help but complete its course. The ancients would call this the turning of the wheel, the eternal return of that which is meant to be.

Consider the tale of Julius Caesar. Once, he crossed the Rubicon, an act bold enough to defy the Senate and shift the fate of Rome. Some thought it chance, a single gamble that fortune favored. But when he marched again into civil strife, defeating Pompey, the repetition revealed a pattern: Caesar’s destiny was not to follow Rome’s rules, but to reshape them. And when for the third time he stood before the people, crowned with power beyond precedent, it became clear—the pattern was fulfilled. His rise was no accident, but the echo of destiny’s voice. His life embodied Coelho’s truth: that recurrence signals inevitability.

Yet the saying carries not only awe but also warning. For not all repetitions bring glory—some carry the shadow of destruction. A man who betrays once may call it error; if he betrays twice, the third is certain. A nation that falls into corruption once may recover; if it does so twice, collapse is near. Thus the wisdom of Coelho is a sword with two edges: it reveals both the power of destiny fulfilled and the danger of folly repeated.

The deeper heart of this teaching is to awaken awareness. When something happens once in your life, honor it, but hold it lightly. When it happens twice, pay heed, for it may not be mere chance—it may be the shaping of your path. The wise do not dismiss these patterns; they study them, they learn from them, and they prepare for the third unfolding. For it is there, in the third, that destiny speaks most clearly.

The lesson is this: be watchful of the repetitions in your journey. If joy returns to you twice, embrace it, for a greater joy is near. If failure strikes you twice in the same manner, reflect deeply, for a third awaits unless you change your steps. Patterns are prophecies; heed them, and you will not be caught unawares. Ignore them, and you walk blindly into fate’s decree.

Practical action lies in reflection: write down the recurring events of your life, both blessings and struggles. If a door of opportunity has opened twice, prepare yourself, for it shall open again. If conflict has found you twice in the same form, seek its root, lest it rise once more to defeat you. To live with wisdom is to see beyond the single spark, into the fire that repetition kindles.

Thus, children of the ages, remember the words of Coelho. A single occurrence may be dismissed, but when life repeats itself, listen carefully, for the universe is no longer whispering—it is declaring your path. Everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time. And in that third moment, the fullness of your destiny will stand before you, demanding courage, awareness, and the strength to seize or to turn away.