Tag: serendipity

  • Finding Meaning Through Random Encounters

    “Excuse me, what book is that?” A man pointed at the paperback tucked under my arm as I sipped my hot grande caramel macchiato and browsed through Moleskine journals.

    “Oh, it’s Infinite Possibilities,” I replied.

    “May I take a look?” he asked.

    “Certainly.” I said, handing it over.

    As he flipped through the pages, I couldn’t help but wonder about his intentions. I’m a regular at Barnes & Noble, but no one had ever approached me for a conversation before. Could this be one of those movie moments where a guy strikes up a chat, hoping to get a girl’s number? I doubted it—He must notice that I’m much older than he is, and I certainly wasn’t dressed to impress. Still, the thought lingered.

    It was just past 5:45 p.m., nearing the 6 pm closing time on New Year’s Eve.

    “Mike Dooley, I’ve never heard of him,” he said.

    “I think he was on Mel Robbins’ latest podcast,” I responded.

    I later realized I was wrong—it was a neuroscientist with the last name of Dotty, not Dooley, who had been on the episode.

    The young man, casually dressed in a blue sweater, button-down shirt, and slacks, seemed to know about Mel Robbins. He mentioned reading about her 5 Second Rule, and we quickly found common ground, exchanging titles of self-help books which lead to discussing our professions.

    At this point, I still wasn’t sure what his intentions were, but the conversation was pleasant and easy. He talked about building wealth with his wife, and they now had intentions to focus on giving back to others.

    “You know,” he said thoughtfully, “after you’ve amassed riches and achieved your desires, it’s all about giving back.”

    Interesting, I thought. Was this some sign, divine intervention? Could this be the serendipitous answer I’d been seeking? Maybe this was the direction I needed for 2025.

    “Contributions,” I said, feeling a spark of realization.

    “Exactly!” he replied.

    We ended our conversation with a warm exchange of “Happy New Year” and “Take care.” I returned to browsing the journals, still reflecting on the strange nature of our encounter. These unexpected moments often seem to appear when I’m actively seeking spiritual guidance

    As I waited in line at the register, I watched the man walk out the front entrance, empty-handed.

  • El Camino

    I’m back- Life has been incredibly eventful since my last post.Writing is cathartic and therapeutic for me, so I wanted to share my latest adventures. I returned to my hometown and realized the situation was worse than I thought. I’ll spare the details as it gets quite personal.

    From there, I traveled to Wisconsin for a race that was canceled, to Cincinnati for a work training, Oregon to run my 40th state marathon, and then to Atlanta for a job interview.

    Along the way, I embarked on planning a new and  thrilling adventure: walking El Camino de Santiago for my next birthday.

    Here’s how that came to be:

    During my work training in Cincinnati, we were asked to jot down notes and finish exercises in a  notebook. One exercise required us to write about  vacation trip we wanted help planning. I expressed my wish for a journey to find myself- a place to understand my life’s purpose and my impact on others.

    We exchanged notebooks with randomly selected  colleagues to gather ideas. My colleague, who is originally from Spain, instantly knew where to send me after reading my prompt: El Camino de Santiago. He was surprised I wasn’t familiar with it and explained its spiritual significance, convincing me that it was something I needed to do.

    The training ended on Friday, and I flew out to  Oregon for a marathon. At a 5K Shakeout Run, I chatted with a woman named Molly. It was her first half marathon race and we discussed her experiences. She mentioned having done a part of El Camino. I got chills when she uttered the words and I had to ask for clarification, it was indeed the trail in Spain that she was talking about. I shared my colleague’s suggestion, and she encouraged me further with her own story.

    After the shakeout run, I spent several hours at  Powell’s City of Books, browsing travel books on  the pilgrimage. I focused on Andrew McCarthy’s “Walking with Sam.”

    Today, I took my first training walk, spending 2 hours and 40 minutes on the paved bike path. 

    Let the journey begin.

  • Serendipity

    One goal is to read/listen to 100 books this year. I randomly selected the first title through the county’s library system app, Libby. Without making note of the author’s name I read the title “A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty and Success” and decided it would be the book to start the year. The book had my undivided attention from the start. A nutritionist/fashion model discussed her secret to happiness and longevity. “Do not fret aging” was the underlying theme. This was the book I needed to read as my fourth decade on this earth quickly approaches. The thoughts of reaching the age of forty made me feel depressed. Book one taught me the importance of making healthier decisions now, to make my later years more enjoyable. Halfway through the first 4 chapters I learned the author was none other than Elon Musk’s mom. Serendipity shows it’s face when you allow events to flow at their own occurrence.