Serendipity

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I had labeled it my Play Day, and one of my play projects went awry when I could not find the bobbin holder to my sewing machine: a small object but nevertheless essential to the use of the machine. This loss set off a mild depression which grew deeper and darker as I spent hours in search of it like a greedy gold digger panning for gold which was not to be found. I, like the greedy dreamer of hitting pay dirt, only managed to totally disturb everything in the guest room and more importantly disturb my "inner space". The result was that I ended up with more lost than that with which I had begun my search. I had lost my inner peace, my good mood, and I had ruined the planned play day by putting myself in a foul mood.

I sat in my study, looked out the window upon the beauty before me, took several deep breaths and then turned my attention to sending a card to a friend of a friend whom I had wanted to thank for being so supportive of another dear friend and to wish her and her husband, who is ill, good wishes for the coming year, each day as it comes.

My depression had lifted. Furthermore, another friend dropped by with a bulb of a plant to be planted by my pond providing shade for the goldfish from the summer's sun. And then another friend came over and brought me a package from the post office, an errand that I had asked of her so that I could have my play day at home. We three sat together drinking hot tea on a cold winter's day before the fireplace, laughing, chatting and having a great time.

I secretly mused how my depression had completely disappeared, and how very silly it was for me to have been depressed over such a small thing, and how wonderful my play day had become. The warm wishes I had sent the woman, whose card had not yet been posted, were returned to me many times over with the warm companionship of that winter day's closing hours.

I had indeed serendipitously found that which I had sought, though not what I originally had set out in search of, but something of far greater pleasure and value; a true play day.

Compassion

A friend of mine belongs to an online community of people with a common goal and interest. In the process of sharing their ups and downs in reaching this goal, a woman mentioned in her online journal that she was currently without employment. Due to a lack of work and therefore money, her electrical service was soon to be terminated if she did not pay her bill. With three young children, food had to have priority over electricity.

My friend, upon reading of this woman's plight, took a plunge into action based on compassion and empathy, for she herself had been in similar circumstances in her life.
She, being of very modest income herself with the usual expenses concomitant with aging, momentarily asked herself "what if the woman is unable to pay me back, or even worse, what if this is a scam of some sort?". But being an ethical and basically trusting person, she decided to take the chance because it would bring more happiness to herself to help another person by alleviating some of this woman's suffering. What the woman did or did not do was out of the control of my friend, so she told me. She would take positive action and the result was no longer up to her.

As my friend discussed the matter with the woman online to get her address to send a check for the electrical bill, the woman at first protested that she could not take assistance. My friend suggested she think about it and let her know for the offer was there. And so the next day, they communicated and it was decided my friend would mail the woman a check and when the woman found a job, repayment would be forthcoming.

Imagine, if you will, the check on its way to this woman via the U. S. mail. We all know how painfully slow the postal service can be, especially when our anticipation of a certain item is very high. And so it was in this case.

However, while the check was on its way to the recipient, the receiver of another's trust and compassion, received offers for two part time jobs. The woman happily corresponded her good news online to my friend. Furthermore she replied that the joy she had received through the bond of friendship, though writing void on the check and being able to return it brought joy as well, was of greater value than anything to be deposited in a bank.

Any CPA or governmental equivalent could do the figures. Multiply this one act of human compassion times the approximately six billion human beings on this planet Earth and what a better quality of life everyone, including the few wealthy, would have. The positive side of the balance sheet of human happiness would pay the debt of human suffering.

I am very fortunate to have this person as my friend and, as it so happens, as my sister as well. Do a compassionate act toward someone today. Like my sister told me, it makes you feel so happy. And isn't happiness what we all want more of anyway?

Namaste!

On Water, Land and Air

I just witnessed a large flock of ducks flying over the woods in the valley from the lake. They don't look quite adept in flight. When compared to the graceful soaring of the eagle or the easy circular gliding of the buzzard, the ducks constant flapping of their wings lets the observer know that flying through thin air is not the best element for them.

But I remember a scuba diving trip I made once during which there were many ducks floating effortlessly on the surface. Suddenly, with seemingly little effort on their part they were diving almost straight downward head first. What enviable diving skills! I imagine they were thinking to themselves while passing me in all my diving gear floundering about, "look at the clumsiness of that creature over there. I can tell from her awkwardness that the water is not her natural element!"

Just imagine having the natural ability to locomote (I know, Microsoft Spell and Grammar check, that this is not a word; but it should be if one can have locomotion, one should be able to locomote...and besides I like the sound of the word.) on land, water and through the air without the aid of artificial devices and machines. So upon reflection, I would say that the duck is quite an enviable creature who has the ability to navigate his/her way about in all three settings to observe this beautiful and magical Mother Earth from so many perspectives.

I have watched them leave their favorite feeding area on the lake, take flight, encircle the small lake (actually more of a small pond it would be called in other parts of the country, but in Texas we have the mentality for hyperbole just because the boundaries defining our state are far apart) only to come to rest where they began. I wonder is this flight an opportunity to exercise, or perhaps to reassure themselves that they have indeed selected the best feeding spot, or for some other purpose?

I suppose I like to think that one of them says something like, "Hey gang, anyone up for a flight roundabout?" just for the fun of it with absolutely no purpose for this activity whatsoever; except maybe to give the scientists something to ponder over. No, I really prefer to think it is just for the sheer fun of it with absolutely no purpose at all. They can and so they do. After all, that is what we human beings need is more fun and less activity for a purpose. Carpe diem!