Serendipity.
Free will.
Destiny.
The Rolling Stones.
I’ve had these four things on my mind lately. And, yes, I realize the last one in my list doesn’t make a whole wad of sense, but I’ll get there. Just hear me out.
Lots of people like to argue over the first three items. “There is no such thing as destiny,” some will say. “You make your own through the exercise of free will.”
Others pontificate that there is no such thing as coincidence in this life. That our future was set before daddy-o gave mummy his first bow-chicka-wow-wow look.
Like any good Libra, I think I’m pretty much dead center. I think all three are actually all tied up together in an intentional knot.
Let me ‘splain.
I’m working with my first, freelance editor, Marcy Kennedy. How I came to work with her is due to a string of seemingly random events:
1) I attended the first, on-line WANA Conference.
2) I took her Twitter class at said conference.
3) Marcy was super cute and cheerful in class–despite the early hour–and clearly knew her Twitter. So, I started following her Tweets and blogs.
4) One day (a few months later) she blogged about editors and what questions/approaches a first-timer should consider.
5) Her words really resonated with me, so I emailed her some questions, to which she replied. Her response didn’t come back lightening quick, but when it DID come, it was thick with thought and purpose. She took the time to completely answer my questions.
6) I signed up to work with her.
Now, mind you, all of the above has taken place over the course of about three months. But the really COOL thing about the whole turn of events? I got what I needed.
What I think I need and what I really need are usually nowhere in the same ballpark. If I’d have intentionally set out to hire a freelance editor, I might have looked for a lightning bug personality to match my own.
The universe knew better and gave me Marcy instead. She’s like a solid anchor I can latch onto. She responds to my questions, but takes her time–and it pays off. When I read her words there’s a bit of peace that floats up off the screen to seep into my pores. And, man-o-man, do I need some of that to chill my hamster.
So, when I say I think serendipity, free will and destiny are all wrapped up together, this is what I mean. Maybe it was destiny that queued Marcy up to teach that class. Maybe it was mine to take it. Then the free will thing kicked in after we’d met and said, “So? Whatcha gonna do with this bit of goodness?” (Not that she necessarily perceives it as goodness. If anything, it probably looks to her something like the pic below.)
What about you? Do you have a particular spin on the universal jigsaw puzzle? Can you look back and see bits of magic in your life? Paths where the dots connected juuuust right?
Oh, yeah. And the Rolling Stones thing. Here ya go! (Turn it up and sing out loud! I did!)
8 Comments
Christine Ashworth
May 27, 2013 at 4:50 pmI am totally aware of serendipity in my life. Chance meetings, chance blurting-out-words, chance misses – it’s rampant in my life. Lovely that you hooked up with Marcy – I hear she’s really sweet.
Cheers hon!
CJ Burright
May 27, 2013 at 8:53 pmI think you nailed it – you’re guided to the right people and it’s up to you to take that next step, with or away. And it’s funny how you (at least I do) often realize afterward, in looking back, the little steps that brought you to where you are today, and how wrong it could have went if one little thing had been different. Coincidence? Methinks not.
Gretchen Wing
May 27, 2013 at 10:03 pmThe words are wise. But it’s the bit of Rolling Stones whimsy that draws us in to that wisdom. Well played, Rhenna.
Susan Shay
May 28, 2013 at 6:13 amSince you asked . . .
I believe God absolutely love, love, LOVES (adores) each one of us. He wants what’s best for us and what will make us happiest. HE is guiding all our lives.
He put all those things together.
And when He doesn’t give us exactly what we want, He gives us what we need.
🙂
Susan
T.D. Hart
May 28, 2013 at 8:57 amGreat post, Rhenna! There have been too many happy coincidences in my life for me to discount destiny. Even the bad stuff has proven helpful, as it has caused me to grow.
A long time ago, I read: “Right now, and without your permission, the Universe is plotting to bring you peace, joy, and fulfillment…and you can’t do a thing about it!”
I’ll buy a soda for the person who finds the original source.
Cheers…and Happy Writing!
-T
Susan Jaymes
May 28, 2013 at 4:04 pmI do believe in destiny. I’ve had too many things happen in my life not to believe.
Marcy rocks by the way. I took her twitter class and she is awesome. I’m sure she is a great editor too.
Suzanne Vince
May 29, 2013 at 4:50 pmI also believe that everything happens for a reason. People come in and out of our lives to teach us lessons. It’s not always easy to understand the lesson, but if you look hard enough, it’s there. Oh, and the Rolling Stones were AMAZING (saw them in Oakland on May 5th) and yes, they sang it.
kim
June 5, 2013 at 1:09 amI’m working with Marcy Kennedy too and she is a fabulous editor. My novel is massively improved thanks to her advice and guidance. Funnily enough we met the same way you did … in her twitter class. Lols – it’s a small world in many ways 🙂