Serendipity

 What’s on your agenda for the New Year? Your goals, your aspirations, your dreams: Don’t have any? Why not? If you do not have expectations, they will probably be realized.   Even the Bible urges us to plan for the future. “Where there is no vision the people perish.” ( Proverbs 29:18)

 I begin each year with a new date book. The back is filled with names, phone numbers and addresses. Then I fill in the front with appointments and birthdays. Leaving plenty of room for the unexpected.  The word that applies for the latter is SERENDIPITY. It has overtones of adventure and unexpected pleasures.   The word was coined in 1754 by Sir Horace Walpole, noted British author. It is based on a fairy tale that began in the land of Serendip. This country is an island off the coast of India.

 For many years it was called Ceylon. Today its name is Sri Lanka. The fairy tale concerns the king of Serendip and his three sons. They are sent throughout the world to learn about it. They always meet the unexpected. Thus the word serendipity. Or, discoveries by accident of things they were not seeking.

 Certainly there should be a word for that, because life is full of it. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Columbus, looking for a direct route to Asia, stubbed his toe on America.” Serendipity.

 Of course, many of the experiences in the New Year are predictable. We’ll be getting older. Doctors visits; Dentists as well. Some of our friends will die. The government will probably continue to be a mess. The very essence of serendipity is indirection. Going after one thing and in the process, finding something else. A similar concept is used by magicians-misdirection. The word “by-product” is also appropriate.

 What do Velcro, penicillin, x-rays, Teflon, dynamite, the Dead Sea Scrolls, quinine, smallpox vaccination, iodine, discovery of America, law of gravity, synthetic rubber, insulin, photography, sulfa drugs, glass, nylon, methane, interferon and hundreds of other things have in common? THEY WERE ALL THE RESULT OF SERENDIPITY.

 On and on. One example of serendipity after another. However, most of us will never be explorers or inventors. Are there other ways for us, in the New Year, to experience it? Absolutely.  The unknown days (365) are uncharted. Never traversed by us before. Our journey will be like the three men of Serendip. Like them, we will indirectly meet NEW FRIENDS.

 Just about everyday Stella and I go to a local Jack-in- the- Box for an egg sandwich. Several months ago, a young lady came in for coffee. We started talking, found several common interests and soon we were meeting everyday. Friendship developed. Serendipity.

 HAPPINESS is always a by-product. It is experienced because of something else: an activity, a great dinner, winning the lottery, a family gathering, etc.

 The year ahead will provide many opportunities for those or similar serendipities.

 I have an insatiable curiosity. The subject doesn’t matter. I want to learn all I can about places, people and things. More often than not, opportunities present themselves unexpectedly. Serendipity.

 A year ago one of our daughters moved to Boston. She met a college roommate of mine who is now retired from the college. To cement our renewed friendship he sent me a science book written by a colleague of his. “The Language of Science and Faith.”  By Karl W. Giberson. Thrilling and satisfying for my curiosity. Unexpected. A genuine serendipity.

 I am anticipating the New Year because of the potential of more SERENDIPITY.

Amen. Selah. So be it.

 

WORDS TO THINK ABOUT

G. W. Abersold Ph.D.