Connections

Here's my question to you—do you believe in synchronicity? Do you think that all of us, and all the events in our lives, are connected in ways that we don't normally see? Or do you think it's all coincidence and random circumstance? As for myself, I believe in synchronicity. I think we're connected to the people and events in our lives in ways we aren't aware of, and if you start being more aware of these connections, you begin to notice them more and more. For example—

Susan is a waitress and occasional bartender. She's a sweetheart and, at 22, exhibits a maturity beyond her years. When I found out the date of her birthday, I decided I had to get her a little gift. She is very much a New Age person, so I thought that a New Age book would be something she might enjoy. As her birthday drew closer, I reminded myself now and then that I had to drop into the bookstore and pick out a book for Susan. But I didn't seem to be able to get around to doing it.

About 10 days before her birthday, I'm having lunch at the bar  when I look around and see Barbara Gibbs sitting behind me. Barbara is a local TV personality so I recognize her immediately. Though she has been anchoring the nightly news for quite a while, this was the first time I had seen her in person.

I thought no more about it until a week later, just a couple of days before Susan's birthday. I'm walking from the Kroger store to my car when this little red Miata zooms out of the parking lot and runs right up to me. Clearly, the driver is impatient to get past me. I look through the windshield at the driver. It's Barbara Gibbs again.

I had never seen her, and now I've seen her twice in a week. I told you I believe in connections . . . in synchronicity. What could running into Barbara again mean? I watch the Miata as it pulls back into the parking lot in front of the bookstore.

Seeing the Miata park in front of the bookstore jogs my memory. "Oh yeah, "I suddenly remember, "I want to get Susan a book. I might as well do it now."

So I head over to the bookstore. As I walk in, I seen a poster advertising a new book by P.M.H. Atwater. Ms. Atwater is a pioneering researcher in the field of near death and other transformative experiences. Plus, she will be signing books later that day.

"That's the book I'm going to get for Susan," I think. I buy the book and promise myself I will come back that evening and get the author to personalize it for Susan. As I leave, I see the little Miata still parked in front of the store.

That evening I come back to the store and I meet Ms. Atwater. She writes a message in Susan's book, and I talk to the author for about 45 minutes. The subject of her books is one that has long interested me, and I enjoy this conversation with her. I find myself wishing Susan could have talked with her, too. I think she would have enjoyed that.

So I get a cool gift book, personalized by the author, and I spend almost an hour talking to the woman who helped pioneer a field of research that is one of my big interests, and it happens because a woman I don't even know just happens to cross my path in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

Random circumstance? Or connections?