GBE2 - Do-Over

"Do-Over" is this week's prompt at GBE2.

"Do-Over"? Oh no another one of those brain-numbing topics. And then suddenly the thoughts started flowing. It's the most perfect prompt ... of course I use a lot of poetic license on the words "Do-Over" but as there are no rules I can pretty much interpret this anyway I want.

I had so wanted to do the prompts for "Accidents" and "Serendipity" - long gone topics at  The Writers Post and Blogging For Fun, but the "Do-Over" now gives me a chance to write my post on these topics. A kind of "Do-Over".

So onto Serendipity and Accident ....

Serendipity means a "Happy Accident" or "making a fortunate discovery by Accident" or "an Accident that leads to a fortunate event".

I love the word Serendipity - something very appealing about it. I also think Serendipity and Synchrodestiny (a term coined by Deepak Chopra meaning "coincidences that have a purpose") are related.

There are innumerable moments in our life that we disregard as coincidence, chance or accidents.  Yet, these may be the very moments that line up an amazing future or are messages for us to heed or just moments that lead to great joy.

One such moment occurred in late 1999 or early 2000 - I forget exactly when. I was surfing the Internet and searching for something (again I forget what) when I accidentally came across a website that registered educational institutions and ex-students.

Curiosity prevailed, so I registered and accessed my class page. And here I found a dear friend I had not met or even been in touch with since the school days - 25 years ago.

I finally emailed him after a few days of procrastinating and have never regretted that fateful email. We met at the class re-union a few months later - an event I never would've have known about had I not emailed him. Not only that, a great friendship was re-kindled not just with him but with so many other classmates. I am so glad I was surfing that day.

And that Serendipitous encounter led to another "Do-Over" ...

December of 2010, 2 lovely friends (including my friend I found accidentally while surfing) and I went off to visit our school again. What a thrill going back to school and especially to our Standard 9 (Grade 9) classroom - the last time the 3 of us were together. Std 9 also holds some amazing memories and I think was my best year in school. Here's a picture of our Std 9 classroom as it stands today - back to front and the blackboard replaced by a whiteboard were about the only changes we could see.

Some years ago the school had a "Do-Over" as well.  And while they were renovating the school, they found this little hidden Chapel.  Unfortunately the door was locked so couldn't go inside. But how awesome to find this in the "Do-Over".

Not all "Do-Overs" are successful or turn out the way you intend them to. Here's one - additions and changes to the newer wing of the school. I didn't like that - it closed up the quadrangle. It was so much brighter and airier in our days. And the classrooms as we knew them are all gone and replaced. The memories remain but the physical evidence of those days are now gone.

There are of course no accidents in life - we are all connected - and all events in our life are inter-linked though they may look separate and unrelated. The serendipitous moments in life are events that are part of our synchronised destiny (Synchrodestiny).

I love Serendipity and I loved the movie too. So enjoy a scene from it.


Serendipity - Youtube


Wishing you all many Serendipitous moments, "Accidents" that put a smile on your face.

Thanks GBE2 for the opportunity to "Do-Over" these topics.

Warm Regards