Serendipity in San Diego September 15, 2008
Serendipity is defined by Webster as: The phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.
Don’t you just love those moments in life when God sends something agreeable, surprising, fun, but totally unexpected and not sought after? Have you had a moment of serendipity this week?
This event could not have been pulled off had I used all of my resources, yet it happened this morning. Unexpectedly, delightfully and effortlessly God sent me a gift of serendipity in San Diego.
Whether you visit Sea World, the USS Midway, Lego Land, or the San Diego Zoo, you can find a ticket for it in sunny San Diego. However, this is one event that I did not need a ticket for. It came to me freely,unexpectedly and effortlessly but with plenty of goosebumps!
After one week of vacation we were set to go home on an afternoon flight scheduled for the next day. Our airline tickets were purchased and our plans were set.However on a whim we decided to stay in sunny San Diego for another four days of vacation. We cancelled our ticket home and began to look for a new hotel to stay in for the remainder of our trip. A downtown hotel had a nice room available, but just for one night, so we moved there.
Waking up to traffic noise and trains, we headed to the lobby for a buffet breakfast before departing this hotel for the suburbs. Filling our plates with omelettes, fruit cups and hashbrowns we sat down and began to eat.
We happened to be seated next to a group of two British couples trying to fit at a tiny table for two. Meanwhile, the two of us were comfortable at a table for four. Graciously, my husband offered to trade tables with them. This small act of kindness was to reap surprising fruit.
Being the grand-daughter of an immigrant from Great Britain, I was very interested when I heard their accent as we began the table switch. You see, my British Grand-dad immigrated to the United States in the early 1900’s from England.
Amidst the shuffle the shuffle of tea cups, plates of fruit, omelettes and potatoes, I asked where they were from. “The UK, they replied.” Intrigued, I said, ” I have a cousin in Ipswich.” Their eyes opened wider and Jane leaned forward in her chair saying “Why that is exactly where I live!”As they asked me where in Ipswich that my cousin lived, I could not recall the full address only Villa Farm something….Fitting together bits and pieces they said “Could it be Rushmere Villa Farm by chance?”
Excitedly, I said”Yes! That’s it!”. Immediately the husband mumbled to his wife, “Hmmm, the only person I can think of there is Mike and Christine H.”
“Yes!” I said, “She is my Father’s cousin.” By now, we were all getting goosebumps.
Further conversation revealed that Jane, the wife of this particular couple grew up knowing my British cousins very well. In fact she spent many days in their home. Her parents and my cousins were very close friends.
Here we were, strangers all sitting three feet apart in the same city, at the same hotel, choosing to eat breakfast at the same time and serendipity brought us together across the miles of Atlantic Ocean. What an incredibly small world we live in.
After exchanging business cards, it turns out that we are all in the same career field as well. Invitations were made all around to come and visit one another’s home.
Today’s happenstance meeting created a modern day connection to the British family that my Grand-dad left behind almost 100 years ago in England.
How delightful to have this surprising, agreeable and yet totally unexpected meeting take place. Truly it was a moment of serendipity in San Diego.