The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Serendipity – September 20, 2019 – Day 20

The coincidences of little miracles that happen every day of your life are hints that the universe has much bigger plans for you than you ever dreamed of for yourself. - Deepak Chopra

Yes! I definitely believe in serendipity. I often speak of pivotal people, pivotal events and pivotal times that have entered my life at just the right moment and changed the course of my destiny. I'm sure a lot of people believe life is random. Stuff just happens. But, I believe that in some, perhaps, mystical way we seek out these pivotal people, events and times. We don't know who, what or when they will appear. This, I believe, is the essence of serendipity. There are some things that are incomprehensible to us as mere mortals.

I have a list of all the people, events and times during my life when these serendipitous things have occurred. We might refer to them as God's will or plan for our lives. That means we believe in some manner of predestination. Or, perhaps, we just want to believe that the universe, something we can't truly comprehend, provides doors and windows for us to pass through. Yet, scientists, mathematicians, astronomers and astrologers continue to study and explore it. 

Personally, I just believe we are each a miracle and there are things that just come together for most people. Those who realize and accept serendipities will most likely have an amazing life. Those who reject them sadly may have sad and, perhaps, troubled lives.

On the way to the Cancer Center for my radiation treatment, Carolyn and I were well ahead of schedule. So, we made a short detour off our route and headed down Cedar Grove Road in Frederick County, Virginia. It's about 3.5 miles from the Winchester Medical Center. 

The significance of this particular road is that 11 years ago, this coming October 31^st, I drove out of the nearly quarter-mile-long driveway of the 49 acre ranch I had lived and ran my businesses from for six years, onto Cedar Grove Road for the last time. It was a place I dearly loved living and working. It was the place I was living when Carolyn and I first met 16 years ago this November.

The countryside is beautiful and serene where I lived for those six years. Many very pleasant memories welled up for me as we drove on that road. Sadly, the property has been subdivided and sold and now there are several houses on the land. The brick ranch house I lived in, up on the knoll above the pastures where horses boarded while I lived there, was hardly visible. Here are some photos from my time on the ranch.

The house from the quarter-mile-long driveway

View from the front porch to the ranch across the road

Another view from the front porch to the small mountain to the north

A couple of the horses in the front pasture

And the colors at sunset were magnificent

You can probably guess why this place was so special to me. 

Much of the black, board on board fence line was in terrible disrepair. And, the small pond at the far corner of the property was so overgrown it didn't even resemble a pond any longer. 

But, just the same, finding that ranch during the early winter of 2003 was serendipity. It was the fulfillment of another of my dreams. I have the memories. We proceeded on to my next radiation treatment.

Today was radiation treatment #3. The first thing Colleen and Michelle, my two radiation technicians I spotlighted in yesterday's article, asked when I arrived today was whether I included them in my article. Did I use the photo of them? I told them I most certainly did. They seemed genuinely tickled by the idea that I felt my unique relationship with them would be interesting enough to include in my blog. Then they said they hoped it would go viral.

The treatment went on as planned and, within a short time, I was on the table, had my 10 minutes of time alone with my thoughts and, it was over. I only have 25 more of these encounters ahead. But, it's great to create some kind of relationship with people – since all people we come in contact with impact our lives in some manner, even if only a smile passing between each other.

Serendipity

Carolyn and I left the Cancer Center not more than about 20 minutes after our arrival, treatment #3 now history. We proceeded to Costco and wandered around there for at least an hour. We weren't in need of anything. It's just an interesting place to watch people and look at things.

A serendipity occurred. One of the women demonstrating products was a woman I haven't seen in several years. She's now 86 years old and still going strong. Ruth and I met nearly 30 years ago when we were both members of a social group for single professionals. We had a pleasant reunion and did a bit of reminiscing. Ruth has also done some traveling around the country in a van, similar to mine.

Carolyn and I had some lunch at Costco. I was craving a slice of pizza, so I satisfied my desire. Carolyn chose one of Costco's, now famous, all-beef, foot-long hotdogs with a drink. We enjoyed our lunch, went to the car, filled the gas tank with the lowest price gas in the region at Costco and then headed back to West Virginia. Yes, over the 7 mountains and through the 7 valleys. 

There are a few choices of routes we could select. Carolyn wanted to stop at a small, fresh-picked, roadside apple stand to buy a bunch of specific apples before they were gone for the season. So, she headed out with that intention.

Serendipity

Here comes the next serendipity. She made a turn onto the road that would not take us to the apple stand. She knew these routes as well as I did. Why did she make that mistake? She was upset with herself. But, I immediately told her we could continue on that route and I knew a way to cross over to the correct route to reach the apple stand. 

We continued up the road. Made a turn onto the next part of the route and then turned onto a side road I told her to take. As we were winding through the back country road, I saw a large, green SUV about a quarter of a mile ahead of us. It turned on the same road I told Carolyn to turn onto next.

I suspected I knew who was driving that SUV. And, as we approached the private road into a small community of homes, I knew I was right. I told Carolyn to follow that SUV up the gravel road and into the long driveway.

Indeed! It was the next serendipity. The SUV and the house belonged to Dae Scott, who was my right-hand person for several years in my book publishing business. She worked with me at my ranch Carolyn and I had visited earlier in the day. 

I haven't seen or spoken with Dae in a few years and I've been meaning to call her or stop by. It just didn't happen. Carolyn also knew Dae, but hadn't seen or talked to Dae in probably 11 or possibly 12 years. And, there we were. The universe opened the door for an impromptu visit.

We spent at least an hour talking, reminiscing, sharing things that had transpired over the years, including my current medical challenges, and talking about bluegrass music. Dae is a virtuoso bluegrass guitar picker and when she sings, you'd swear you were listening to Kitty Wells singing “Honky Tonk Angel.” 

How much better a day than this could I have experienced? Oh yeah! We continued down that back country road and it took us to the route to snag a half peck of the apples Carolyn wanted to make some more homemade, from scratch, apple pies and apple cobbler.

I certainly wouldn't wish what I have going on with my medical condition on anyone, including my worst enemy. And, of course, I certainly would rather not be going through this circumstance myself. However, serendipity, pivotal people, pivotal events and pivotal places seem to just be making this experience as positive as possible, at least over the past month. 

My attitude is, that the universe is sending me a message by dropping these serendipities on me. There is a message, a mission, a purpose for all of this and it's based on me keeping a super positive, yet, pragmatic and realistic outlook on life. How about you?

Live free and be happy. EH