A quick note about an incredible experience I had a few days ago:
I am a soloist at Unity Temple on the Plaza on the fourth Sunday of every month. Often, but not always, the ministers will ask for specific music to tie into the lesson. On this particular Sunday, Rev. Tufty requested ‘Feelin’ Groovy’ by Paul Simon.
This is not my typical or preferred style of music, but I see its place in the world. I learned the piece (not hard), and prepared it for the lesson. After singing it in the service, he said that the lesson plan for the service had changed, and that this piece had nothing to do with the new lesson. Understanding the fluid nature of things at Unity, I sat back and prepared to listen to the incredibly inspiring Rev. Donna Johnson.
Sidebar: When I prepare to sing these services, I do my best to be guided toward music. Sometimes it comes from the radio, sometimes a TV commercial inspires… you get the idea.
On this Sunday morning, I woke up early because I had not selected a second piece to sing. I woke up with ‘Holy Now’ playing full blast in my head (Youtube has some nice recordings of the piece, performed by John Mayer.) If you know the lyrics, it is a great song to set a nice contemplative mood for any day. I took this as a message to use it as a second piece. Here comes the serendipitous part…
As Rev. Johnson spoke, she quoted a song that was playing in her head as she came to church that morning:
“Wine from water is not so small… an even better magic trick is that anything is here at all…”
You guessed it. These words are from the second verse of the piece I woke up so plainly hearing that morning.
I am not a believer in coincidence. I do believe in the connection (some may say the vibration) that runs through us all and unites our hearts and minds. This was definitely one of those beautiful moments of seeing that invisible tie in action!
The lesson I learned was to take every opportunity to see where serendipity happens. Green lights when I am running late? A break in the rain just as I head out the door, hands full? A smile that brings me right out of a dark thought? A random text from an unexpected source that somehow brightens my day and brings a smile to my face? It isn’t too hard to see these little miracles; you just have to look for them. There might be one happening right now…