I am not sure I believe in coincidences. It just seems too accidental to me when I believe that there is a greater plan out there and we are all a part of it in some way or somehow.
That being said, a little over a year ago I met two awesome ladies at one of my writing meetings. As a writer, it is difficult to find other people {locally} who share the same interests as you AND you get along well enough that you might consider them to be among actual friends. I say this because I have been writing for many years and have only met, in person, about twenty other local writers, out of those twenty I would only consider five of them to be friends. (A person I would have no problem texting at any given time.) Now in the online world, I’ve met so many more, though I am not so far out of my shell to really talk to anyone on a personal level. (The shyness can be almost debilitating at times.)
Now where was I? Oh, right, a year ago I met two other writer’s, Jessica and CJ. That first day of meeting them, the three of us hung out at a local restaurant after the meeting to get to know each other a little better. Both of these women love poetry, not just reading it, but writing it as well. And they are GOOD at it. Me, not so much. They were telling me about one of their favorite poem’s, Desiderata by Max Ehrmann.
Now this poem resonated with me, I couldn’t explain why, but it stuck. It was not because of it’s beautiful prose, or how true the words hit with me. It was something else. A scratch that I couldn’t seem to reach, it bothered me but eventually I pushed the poem to the recesses of my mind and moved on from it.
Fast forward a year later. Exactly a year. To the month.
I was visiting my grandfather, we call him Poppy, and on this particular visit it was very depressing. He had tricked me into coming over for a nice bonding visit and slapped me in the face with a “I am going to die one day” type of visit. The sneaky old man. In the process of trying to plug my ears with my fingers and sing la-la-la-la as we walked through the house, I noticed a framed print on the wall that I had grown up with but never thought much about and at that moment it need my utmost undivided attention right then.
Upon reading the print, I yelled and hollered, scarring the crap out of Pops. Then he explained to me what the print was, and how he had had it printed at his printing press back in the 60-70’s.
The picture is a little blurry because of my mad picture taking skills.
Finally, my itch had been scratched! Or so I thought.
The following week I went to breakfast with my mom and was telling her about the poem, showing her the picture I had taken at my grandfather’s house. She laughed and looked at me odd explaining that she also had a copy of the same print, he had one made for her as well when she was little, and that it had always hung on our wall as I grew up.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep the peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
~Max Ehrmann
The last two verses are my favorite.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep the peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
The things we see every day, but never really take notice, they stick with us some way or another.
Till next time,
~AJP