Sunday, August 3, 2008

Synchronicity


I think there just might be a large invisible bullseye on the back left bumper of my car. I can't see it, but I think everyone else on the road can, and they are using my car for target practice.

I have had my new car for 5 months, and in that time two people have run into the same back corner. The first incident happened two weeks after I got the car...in my own driveway! I got it fixed...all was well. The second happened yesterday. .. and here we go again.

This leads me to think of the synchronicities that have happened in my life. They seem to happen all the time and most of the time, they are good ones, but could there be a flip side in the world of coincidence?

I would like to tell you the story of my most significant synchronistic event. Before Taro came into my life, I had another little bunny named Jasper. He was born with chronic health issues that couldn't be cured. I put him through one surgery when he was about 4 years old, and I told myself that I would never put him through that again if I was faced with the same problem down the road. And I knew it was only a matter of time before I would see this issue arise again.

We had another 4 happy years together, and when he was 8, I could see his symptoms appearing again. He was visibly uncomfortable, so I knew deep down that this would be a one way trip to the vet for him. It was one of the hardest days of my life. Not only was I saying goodbye to a long time friend, but despite his health issue, he still looked young and healthy. My friend that accompanied me asked me, "Are you sure you want to do this? He still looks so full of life."

But I knew. I knew it was time, and I didn't doubt my intuition. He passed away in my arms, outside in the sunshine. I went home devastated.

About a week later, I had just started the car and was on my way up the road when something caught my attention on the radio. A man was narrating a story on CBC ( a unique Canadian station that tends to focus on the arts) I had never really listened to this station before, but here it was... and this is what I heard...

"And then there was Jasper....He was only eight...The doctors told us that they could prolong his life if we wished, but his quality of life would never be the same."

I almost crashed my car into a telephone pole. I literally had to stop on the side of the road and take a few deep breaths. Did I really just hear that? I had a Jasper...he was eight...we could have prolonged his life too, but it would have been selfish of me, and he would be living in pain for the rest of his life. Besides, eight is quite old for a rabbit.

I turned the car around and went home to call my dad. He listens to CBC all day as he paints. Maybe he could tell me a little about what I just heard, and if I heard it correctly. Sure enough, he was listening too, and he told me it was a continuation of a story about a little boy named Jasper who died of cancer.

I am not a religious person, but when things like this happen to me, I can't help but wonder what greater force is at work...or play? This wasn't the first time I was struck by such a synchronicity, and it certainly wasn't the last. They happen so often, I'm not all that surprised by them anymore. I just smile and thank the universe...and it leaves me with a comforting feeling...as though I am right where I am supposed to be.

And everything is ok.
Even my poor little injured car.

15 comments:

  1. I was just talking about this very thing with someone today....naturally. :) And I think you are right, everything *is* ok. Really it is. Thank you for your comment on my blog and for the email. You are lovely!

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  2. Oh...sorry to hear about your car...at least you weren't hurt though.

    I know just what you mean about synchronicity...I honestly believe things always happen just as they are meant too...I'm just not sure why your little car needed another ding. :)

    Oh, and I'm not coming to the island this year (we're going to Kaslo>)but we'll be there next summer...and I'd love to meet up with you then.

    xo

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  3. Synchronicity is one of my favorite words - and favorite things. What a lovely post to come home to. I'd love to see a photo of your little car. I am so glad to read between the lines and see your beautiful attitude about the annoyances of life. It reminds me to just roll with it and smile all the while. Happy day to you, Jaime.

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  4. good morning jamie! i thought about you yesterday while taking photograph with zeb andrews knowing you would have enjoyed the class. you are already a master at macro photography but i love that you can be so excited and inspired by some else's work :)

    synchronicity... i have my own theory about how and why this works in my life. i try really hard...but fail often...to think in terms of "doing the next right thing on the path." whatever the issues or circumstance i am grappling with, be it worry, indecisiveness, or a simple matter of daily living i tell myself, like a prayer or mantra, to "do the next right thing" that is right in front of me and then that next step, or the path will be revealed. so although it is synchronistic it also requires my participation..and faith...in order for it to work. and so i completely understand your story of jasper. trusting your intuition was in my mind doing what you knew to be the next right thing...and it had presented itself right in front of you with jasper getting sick again. very long winded as usual :)
    xoxox
    stay safe in your little car please!

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  5. SOmetimes things happen when we least expect it. Beautiful post indeed.

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  6. I think of things like this as signs. Sometimes. A sign from the Universe, or God, or whomever. Maybe Jasper. That all was well. You did right. A hug you can't see, a pat on your shoulder, a whisper in your ear. One more bump on the rear end of your car may be a message that it needs to go.

    Terrific post. A great way to start my Monday.

    Thanks.
    :) Debi

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  7. oohhh... this was a wonderful read...and your attitude towards the adversaries of life is admirable. the story about jasper(s) gave me goosebumps.

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  8. What a lovely post. I love how the universe can surprise and comfort us...

    Cxx

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  9. Life has a way of surprising us that's for sure :-)

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  10. How magical not just that there was another eight year old Jasper who had been ill but that you were there to hear it. That's where the surreal and impossible elements of life come into play. Just think- if you'd been a couple of minutes later that day, or earlier, you'd not have known about it.
    I think you did the right thing in absorbing it, taking it for what it seemed to be, and cherishing the wonder.

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  11. I smile with you...

    His time is not our time...

    mostly unexpected....

    but perfect! xx

    Miss you xx

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  12. You have a lovely site to visit.It is such a pleasure to catch up on your previous posts. I had a beautiful rabbit too, a Flemish giant. I feel for you.

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  13. I'm still not over the guilt of not bothering to bring my pet rabbit inside when I was 8 and he died of pneumonia.
    The Universe gives us messages constantly if we are only open to seeing them, hearing them, absorbing them as you have done. It's all a dance, but it is comforting to receive those precious signals that we are getting the beat right.

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  14. Thanks for sharing this touching story.
    I know synchronicity well, mostly when I feel in tune, at one with myself and my intentions. I'll be wondering about something then I'll forget about it and then hear something somewhere (overhear a conversation for example) that takes me by surprise and just feels like I was meant to hear that, like it's related to my question.

    Another thing that happens a lot is, I'll notice someone in a public place, they just happen to stand out and I think nothing of it until at another time of the day that person approaches me or I bump into them and a dialogue happens.

    The book The Celestine Prophecy discusses synchronicity a lot. The author calls it 'meaningful coincidences' :-)

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  15. hiya! just wanted to say love your wonderful images :-)

    also enjoy the little stories you write in your posts :)

    haven't had a working camera in a while :( but maybe I will bug you for tips when I get my DSLR at year end ;)

    cheers,
    mscherrylane

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