fateful

A fateful event or decision changes everything and often has serious consequences.

When we say something was "fateful," we usually mean it's connected to a turning point in life. This can be as simple as meeting someone who becomes your partner, getting accepted into your dream school, or making a choice that impacts the rest of your career. Think about it: when you're at an intersection where two roads go different directions, one of them might seem more promising than the other, but we often don't know for sure until we take that road. Similarly, fateful moments can be like choosing which path to take – you won't always know how things will turn out, but it's likely your life will change because of it.