Synchronicity? (Or just plain coincidence)

Last week, as I was ready to leave for a class, my 11 year old daughter suddenly decided to change her outfit. My response was pure exasperation-we had a long drive in rush hour traffic and we needed to leave now. She had plenty of time to get changed, etc. and she waited until the last minute to do so, and so we left the house a few minutes later than what I had intended. The class was a group of special needs children and it was their last class of the session. I wanted it to be special for them.

We had driven about 6 miles and suddenly were stuck in non-moving traffic. I started to get tense & to re-iterate my  "this is why we needed to leave 5 minutes before we did..."  speech.

As we slowly crawled through the line of cars, I realized that there had been an accident and I immediately softened my demeanor . At first, in the darkness, and distortion of oncoming headlights, it appeared that a fender of an SUV was lying crumpled on the road, however when I got closer to the scene I realized that it was actually what was left of a motorcycle. The driver was lying in the road nearby a parked SUV. There was a man and a woman kneeling beside him. The accident must have just happened moments before.

I instinctively pulled my car to the center island/ lane and instructed my daughter to stay in the car. (She could not actually see what was going on from where the car now was.) I got out with the intent to go & offer some assistance.

As I approached, I could see the serious extent of the young man's injuries, the distraught SUV driver, several more people who had stopped to help and saw the lights of the approaching emergency vehicles. I had to stop before I could get close enough to actually offer assistance, and go move my car as it was now in the way of the medical help this young man needed.

As I got back in my car, I was suddenly and unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion: having absorbed visually and empathically the confusion, pain and fear of those involved in that moment. The driver of the vehicle was in just as much pain as the young man who was injured. What if the driver of the SUV had driven a bit slower-(or faster) and what if the young man had taken a different route home? I also had to ask myself: had we not been delayed by Lauren's last minute wardrobe change, would we have been involved in this life changing accident? My daughter understood in an instant everything I could not verbalize just then and reached over and patted my hand and said : "Its ok mommy. Good thing we were running late!"

I am again and again humbled & reminded that many times our daily frustrations, perceived inconveniences & troubles can in reality be quite the opposite. Supposed "coincidences" seem more & more like "synchronicities"-meaningful reminders from our universe that there is a much larger force working around and through us that can give us us guidance through symbols & experiences any time we need it. We can use this information to gain perspective & understand our interactions, change our perceptions or to make better choices. We all were at that scene for a purpose at that moment: some to assist and support, and some of us to remember & understand more about what is really important in life.

During the upcoming season of  Peacefulness & Gratitude, it is my hope that everyone I know, don't know & have yet to know, can see every experience-even the 'coincidences' in their life as a part of a bigger picture, and use those experiences to live well, appreciate more and create a better world for themselves & the ones they love.



Have  a Healthy & Safe Holiday.


~Barbara


PS: The young man was seriously injured and has a long way to go to fully recover. Please keep him and everyone affected by this in your best thoughts!