Serendipity: The occurrence and development of events
by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
Don’t you just I love it when things fall perfectly into place in your life? Recently I had the most amazing and affirming experience of serendipity. Here is my story.
Ashvini suggested I create an E Book for LFI; something to give away to encourage subscriptions. I loved the idea and was grateful to Ashvini for it but as I thought about it I wondered; how could I write an E Book using the posts when so much of the value and the richness was contained in the conversation which followed the posts?
I procrastinated for a while (okay – a month) and then thought about it for a while and I finally came up with an idea that just might work. It would be a sort of Life FAQ with links to the posts. I worked on the draft and then put it aside to tackle the coding that would be needed to set it up.
I knew the process for distributing it needed to be automated but I’m not very tech savvy. I was in over my head but I’m a reduce-it-to-it’s-simplest-form sort of person [Read: stubborn and independent]. I knew there had to be a way to accomplish this that was within my skill set. And I found it!
The solution was to create a page at LFI rather than a separate document that would need to be emailed.
I needed a title but before I could name it I had to know what it was! It was too small to be an E Book but it had more substance than a Report. I closed my eyes and asked for help and from somewhere came inspiration.
I could call it “A Life User’s Manual”. It felt right. I went to Flickr to find a photo and put “manual” in the Search box. On the first page that came up was an interesting thumbnail of an open book. I clicked on it to get a better look and couldn’t believe what I saw. I rearranged the first two words in my title to match the one in the photo and created Life: A User’s Manual! Go see!
Have you ever experienced serendipity? Will you share your story?
photo credit: Whologwhy
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Gosh, more examples than I can count. Most recently, events in a family situation worked out in a way I hadn't planned. At first I was impatient and frustrated when things seemed to get off track, but in the end things turned out better because of some "random" events. All of these things had to happen in a certain order and each one was necessary to bring about the miraculously good result. There is no rational explanation for what happened. A miracle of serendipity, definitely.
@galenpearl Wow Galen, you used "Random" and "miracle" both to describe your serendipitous event! It's more complex and mysterious than I realized when I started this conversation. You say the things happened in a specific order. That is magical! It makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Lori,
I was racking my brain trying to think of an example of serendipity in my life and then you left a comment on my blog about your grandfather who probably had daily associations with one of Kathy's (my wife) ancestors in Indiana. It's a small world.
Riley
@Rileyhar That's funny Riley!
Wow, Lori, this is great! And what an outcome to two minds brainstorming! I love the word "Serendipity", it has such a lovely ring to it, like a softly running creek gaining in speed and tumbling over stones, surrounded by green meadows with cows contently munching away, cow bells softly ringing with the rhythm of their eating.
And I love the picture you choose: a dragonfly, such a beautiful insect and whenever I see one I revel at its beauty.
When your heart and your eyes are open you will experience serendipity every day, it is the small events in your daily course of your life, being aware of them and paying attention to them which will take you further. Like holding open the door for a handicapped old man and smiling at him, letting him know you do it on purpose just for him, a small gesture maybe for you but what will the old handicapped man feel and think?
Latest blog post: Looking Back ... February 2013
@Late_Bloomers Hi Barbara! You've been so kind and I love the way you put words together "like a softly running creek gaining in speed and tumbling over stones, surrounded by green meadows with cows contently munching away, cow bells softly ringing with the rhythm of their eating."
You believe serendipity is a part of every day? Another vote for awareness. Is it all about awareness?!?!
Will you share a story of serendipity from your life?
Hi Lori,
Great stuff. It is always good when two minds brainstorm. You had the content and all that needed to be done was to organize it. It looks really good. Congratulations and I hope it becomes an awesome , well known page.
@blogaks Thank you Ashvini and thanks for the "hint" as you call it ;-) to do this!
It is beautiful. Thank you, @Lori
@Vidya Sury Thank you Vidz!
I love it when this happens!
@Michelle Spear Me too! :-)
Lori, I have had quite a few of those instances happening lately - those serendipity moments. It started recently when my wife & I decided to step out and do something we've talked about doing for years and never did because of fear of the unknown. I found the moment we stepped out in faith, those serendipitous events began happening! It is so cool how life works that way.
By the way, I am back into the blogosphere! I don't want to get in over my head but I've missed LFI! And I love the new page you direct us to here! Those conversations are priceless and I wonder if some of the conversations have even changed your perspective on the topics you wrote about. Oftentimes that would be the case for me.
@Bryan Thompson Hey Bryan! Welcome back to the blogosphere! It's been a while since we've seen you! I hope all is well. I'll drop by later!
You connect faith with serendipity. That was your anchor and your sail! How cool is that!
To answer your question about my perspective changing due to these conversations - always!!! They say a mind expanded can never go back to its original size! That's what these conversations do for me - they blow my mind out of shape ;-) That's what makes it fun!
Do you have one small serendipity story that you can share here?
Crazy! I also wrote a post about serendipity today. I owe some of my dearest friendships to a serendipitous chain of events leading me into the path of someone whom I might not otherwise have known. I love the concept of a series of happy coincidences that lead us down one path or the other. It helps to keep us from focusing on regret. My life is as rich and blessed as it is today because of these happenstances and how I responded when the opportunities presented themselves.
Mo
@Mocadeaux Hi Mo, and welcome to Life, for instance! I tried to go see your post but I can't get the page to load (perhaps it's time for a re-start - will do in a moment) So is it serendipitous that we both wrote about serendipity yesterday and got to meet because of it!? I think so.
I'm with you on the series of happy coincidences. Somehow it feels more significant when there is a series of events rather than just one. You talk about not only receiving opportunities but responding to them accurately. Do you have one serendipity story you can share here?
@Lori Seems like LiveFyre is having some issues... I hope you have been able to read my post. Cliff notes version: Over 40 years ago, a passing comment by a virtual stranger led me to connect with someone who has become a lifelong friend. This experience taught me early on to pay attention!
@Mocadeaux I got there Mo! Crazy story! What are the odds that this would happen? As I said over there (!) it seems that what defines a serendipitous event is the inspiration to say, "What are the odds...?"
Hi Lori,
Yes, I do believe in serendepity! And I don't think it is a coincidence at all. I think if we pay attention, we find that lots of things are connected. We need to open our eyes to it and often enough we can connect the dots. It is what we attract via the Law of Attraction when it comes down to it. But hey that's my two cents lol
@donnamerrilltribe Hi Donna! Welcome to Life, for instance! I like the way you put it - the dots are connected! It makes me think of children's coloring books, a game. Do you think serendipity is sort of floating around us - available and often missed? Do you have a personal story of serendipity to share?
'Serendipity' is defined as 'the happy coincidence of finding things by accident and sagacity'. So when you focus on something, you're more likely to see it when it occurs. Relating this to your beautiful post on 'Finding Your Myth' (right at the bottom of the User Manual!), we are all working on our own stories: serendipity is one way that we choose what to weave into the script.
@Jane Bailey Bain Hi Jane! So serendipitous events are both called for and gifted to us?I love the way you put it: "one way that we choose what to weave into the script." You would think we would always want things to happen via serendipity! We'd choose to always be in the flow as @Sabrina at MyMiBoSo says, but we can't (easily) be can we? Maybe that's the "accident" part of the meaning. It's more complex than I thought! Are we slipping down a rabbit hole?
Beautiful connections Lori! I love that you not only experienced serendipity but were PRESENT enough to recognize it for what it is! I experience it all the time I find when I'm in my flow - less so when I'm trying to control the outcomes :).
@Sabrina at MyMiBoSo Hi Sabrina! Do you believe serendipity only happens when a person is in the flow? It's when we are not in the flow that we need it most!
@Lori Nope, I think it happens all the time - just like grace! Granted, being in the flow makes it so much easier to recognize for me!
@Sabrina at MyMiBoSo Yes, I had a feeling we were talking about grace! :-)
hey Lori, yes, I agree with Kaarina's sentiments below - there are no coincidences - a lot of serendepity in the world. And I think yes, we do have a lot to do with it. I don't want to make an all out case for the law of attraction but I've notice it in my life over and over again. If I think about something and visualize it enough, there are series of circumstances that come together to make whatever I was thinking a reality. Usually it's when I feel the emotions behind the visualization and well. It's pretty powerful - I should be utilizing it more in my life now that I realize it happens for me and a lot of other people. Some synchonicities and coincidences are just too too big to explain away otherwise:)
@Vishnu's Virtues I hear what you're saying - the law of attraction has a lot to do with it, but why is it that it feels so magical when things do fall into place so well Vishnu!?
Do you have a serendipity story of your own to share?
@Lori yes, looking for a place to live temporarily for a job and talking to the only friend i had in the area. his only friend in the area's mother, had a room to share and was actually looking for someone. that was serendipity I felt. but the miracle was the beauty of the home on a hill and the majestic views it had. and the greater miracle was the friendship I formed with my friend's friend ad his family.
@Vishnu's Virtues Wow - that is a serendipitous chain of events. It seems that what we call serendipity more often involves a chain of events rather than one event, doesn't it? Or maybe those are the ones that catch our attention more.
Wow: how very serendipitous! :) I believe there are no coincidences in the world, and when our minds, eyes and hearts are open to it, serendipity/synchronicity/"coincidence" abounds. Cheers! Kaarina
@KDillabough Hi Kaarina! I want to put the question to you that I just asked Claudia.
Do we have anything to do with attracting serendipitous events into our lives? Do you think it's a combination of effort meeting opportunity or pure simple gift?
@Lori I believe it's simply a matter of being open, in mind, heart, eyes and spirit to see what others might see as random coincidence or luck (good or bad), to see the synchronicity. Like everything in life, it's how we choose to see what we see.
@Lori Just running off to meetings: I'll be back:)
@KDillabough Do you have a serendipity story to share?
WOW!!!! This is TOTALLY awesome @Lori I am SO impressed. I know there was a great deal of serendipitous energy in this but the actual work and organization of Life: A User's Manual had to have been very time consuming! Thank you! I think that this will be an incredibly valuable tool not only for your loving community but for newcomers that have found their way to your welcoming porch. I am VERY proud of you for having the perseverance to make this vision happen.
I LOVE serendipity! I think if we take a deep breath and reflect on our days, we will often find little serendipitous moments scattered throughout the freneticism. Little things like getting a late start and grumbling to yourself about it and then finding out that starting late actually allowed you to run into someone that you hadn't seen for a long time...and WOULDN'T have seen if you left on time. Serendipity is, in my opinion, taking existing energy and finding the beauty, the gift, the serendipity in the moment. It was serendipitous that a huge snowstorm in 1999 brought my now husband and his snow blower to my front walk. It was serendipitous that my lease was coming due at my old office location and there was space in an awesome building closer to town for my new location. Serendipity is everywhere when we take the time to look...at least that is how I feel.
And I LOVE the story of finding the photo with the absolute perfect (and serendipitous) title!
xoxo
Claudia
@SocialMediaDDS Hi Claudia! So nice to see you early on a Monday morning! You have had many serendipitous in your life - BIG ones! You've got me wondering, though. Do we have anything to do with attracting them into our lives? I mean, did you want to meet someone before that snowstorm of '99? Were you thinking of finding a better location for your office? In the case of my manual, I had to push through a few obstacles to get to the point at which I met serendipity. Do you think it's a combination of effort meeting opportunity or pure simple gift?
@Lori Good questions! I think we definitely have something to do with attracting serendipity in our lives! I was NOT at all looking to meet anyone at the time of the snowstorm...quite the opposite actually so I truly look at this event as very serendipitous! I was NOT looking for a better location for my office...I was at lunch with one of the dentists that works for me and she casually mentioned that maybe it would be interesting to think about a bigger place.. I had never thought about leaving. But the minute (truly) that she put it out there, I knew ( KNEW) it was going to happen and all of the right things happened (including it being the last year of my lease) to make it so....totally serendipitous. I really think serendipity hovers around us all of the time, there for us to experience. We just have to be more open to the opportunities perhaps. As with most gifts available to us, it is most often our uncertainties and fears that prevent us from seeing them.
@SocialMediaDDS I like the picture of serendipity "hovering around us"! So we don't have a pattern here at all then! You weren't looking, Raji was gently presented with the idea, and I was persisting in my idea. All resulted in what we call serendipitous events. How does it feel when something wonderful comes to you when you're not looking for it? That's a true gift! And it begs that question - a gift from whom?
:-) Of course I have experienced Serendipity! My sister used to blog by that name, it was her favorite word.
But anyway one of the earliest instances was when my mom goaded me to move out of the country and get some new experiences casually one morning and right then I was reading the newspaper and found an ad looking for candidates for a position in Singapore. And as I interviewed for it we had a surprise visit from one of my aunts who lives in Singapore and she was in town for a flying visit. She was able to allay my fears and assured me that she'd look out for me and thus within the next few weeks I was en route to Singapore :-). But that was a long time ago and it was my earliest encounter with serendipity and that's how I got to know of this word.
@Raji Mohan Wow Raji - that's a lot of clear serendipitous guidance! Don't you just love it when things come together like that!? It makes you feel there is more in play here, in life, than what we see and that we are not alone.
I love the word Serendipity too! We designed a Terra Cotta Pendant whose name is Serendipity and it's one of our more popular designs. You can see it and why we named it Serendipity here: http://www.terra-cotta-pendants.com/PRODUCTS/individual.php?id=200201
Have you had any more recent encounters with serendipity?
@Lori :-) Yes I recently painted a wall mural for my bedroom and I had no specific plan as to what colors to make it with. In the end I used all the colors used in all the other rooms which I had stored in small tins and just splashed it onto the accent wall without mixing new shades. Made sense - all the colors came together in that one wall. And lo - everyone thought it was by design and I realized it was by serendipity! :-)