Destiny and Coincidence

This topic comes to mind for several reasons. As you recall, on April 27th, 2010 I wrote that I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. I'm not sure if I believed this prior to two years ago but I sure as hell do now. Reason being, is there is NO WAY anyone can tell me that everything that has occurred in my life, both good and bad, but especially the good ones the past two years, came about by chance. There's just been too many instances of this phenomenon repeating itself, that it would give anyone with a raisin for a brain reason to think twice before dispelling that belief themselves.

Early last year a film came out called "Knowing." For those who haven't seen it, google it so it will give you some background. Briefly, Nicolas Cage was the star in it as an astrophysicist professor who struggled internally with whether the world in which he lived, his surroundings, and the events that occurred happened simply by chance or by something else. Something that was pre-destined. Call it the will of God if you wish, though you know by now I'm not one of serious religious bent. Obviously however, I do have a strong spiritual connection with my world these days.

Let me give you an example. Yesterday morning, I changed my profile picture on Facebook to a photograph of my son and I taken in the front yard of my home in Elkhart, KS. the middle of last summer. I liked it so much I added it to my profile album but yesterday was the first time I had shown it as my profile picture for oh, 2 or 3 months, maybe longer. Later that day, after school, I was on my way to the beach, called my aunt who lives nearby (she's 85 now), and asked if she wanted to go out to dinner after my beach walkabout and she said sure.

Here's where it gets weird. Prior to yesterday, the last time I saw my Dad in person was two years ago in April 2008 and we've spoken by phone only a handful of times since, though there have been several instances when we have recently, especially since I arrived here in SoCal. However, I've known for awhile that he is moving to Virginia from La Paz, Mexico and would be coming to stay with his sister (my aunt) for a couple of months. Thing is, I didn't know exactly WHAT DAY or even the freaking TIME of day he would be coming.

So after my walk I checked my blackberry for messages and this is what I read from one of my sisters: "Dad just pulled in to Aunt Rogies. Had some trouble along the way, three flat tires on the trailer!!" (Keep in mind that he left La Paz four days prior and it's nearly a 900 mile trip.) My reply? "Ironic, I had called Rogie earlier to ask her to go to din with me. On my way!!"

Later, one of my former co-workers at the bank in Tribune, a lady I was once very good friends with and who recently came back into my life on Facebook, sent me this wall-to-wall message on Facebook about the picture of my son and I; "I like your profile picture. Father & Son.....Awesome....."

See what I mean?

"Gusto"