Happy Accidents

 

 

"All things are ready

if our

minds be so."

-William Shakespeare

How many times have you stumbled upon something that now you can’t imagine yourself living without?  Maybe one of the many things you discovered included your newfound passion or hobby, a fabulous shade of nail polish, a vacation spot you will never go a summer without visiting, or a confidante that if gone, would leave a void in your life. 

Whatever it might be that was found, some people emphatically offer a reason - serendipity – a fortunate accident. But was it really an accident? 

This weekend my mother had elective surgery and was in the hospital for one night.  While I knew she was going to be perfectly fine, in fact, even more so upon recovery, I couldn’t help but imagine my life without her.  While I’ve always known my life would not seem right if she were gone, I began to look a little closer at all of the serendipitous realizations she has brought into my life. A few are listed below.

Tea is my drink of choice.  Having always wanted to visit Victoria, British Columbia, and specifically Butchart Gardens, my mother convinced me a couple of years ago to take a vacation and discover why people oh and awh when discussing this lovely destination. (Learn more about our trip by clicking here.) Had I not taken this voyage with her, my predilection for tea may never have begun.  I have such beautiful memories of our trip, and in its own way, having  my daily “cup of tea”  keeps this memory alive – it’s doesn’t hurt that it’s on the healthy side either.

My house is my dream home.  Had it not been for my mother wanting to “just see” the home I currently live in while I was house hunting a handful of years ago, I would have most likely never discovered it and immediately fallen head over heels in love with it.  (Learn a bit more about my first impression, by clicking here.)

My spaniel boys.  I’m speaking of the four-legged spaniels, of course.  Being that she is my mother, she knows me, and she always has her ear tuned for something I might like.  Well, both of my dogs came by way of my mother learning about them needing a good home.   For the unconditional love and continual daily happiness they bring, I am forever grateful.

But the question still lingers, were these really happy accidents?  Or would I have come to these realizations and made these discoveries on my own eventually?

I believe it is neither, and I refer to the quote above.  A happy accident is comparable to luck.  One must be in a position to recognize an opportunity when it comes along, and while it may seem like luck at the time, it is actually being in the proper place, so that when it lands in your lap you know what to do with it. 

“Self-sown flowers provide a lot of serendipity, which is one of the reasons people garden. When they come up, it's a delight.”
-Renee Shepherd

Serendipity occurs when you are looking for something in particular.  This doesn’t mean that you find what you are looking for, but you find what you didn’t know you needed, what you didn’t know would fit into your life so perfectly,  or what you didn’t know you could use to make your life more enjoyable or easier.

"Serendipity is the faculty of finding things we did not know we were looking for."  -Glauco Ortolano

Had I not been house hunting, my mother’s suggestion would have never been made to see the house in the first place.  Had I never went on the trip to Victoria and been curious and excited about dining at High Tea at The Empress Hotel, I would have never had the pleasure of such an amazing experience.  And, lastly, had I not wanted dogs in my life, the mention wouldn’t have been made.

It truly is all about providing opportunities for yourself, opening yourself up, allowing yourself to experience that certain you-know-not-just-what yet.

"Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for."  -Lawrence Block

I challenge you this week to reflect a bit on all of the “can’t live withouts” in your life and try to recall how they came into your life.  Did some of them seem at the time to be a fortunate accident?  Or were you allowing yourself to receive these wonderful occurrences with an open mind and heart?  And my second challenge to you is to continue to search, to learn, to keep an open mind.  After all, you never know what you might find if you always continually keep looking through the open doors and windows around you.

Have a beautiful week full of many happy “accidents”.

Image: NY Magazine 

Tea Find!

An unexpected gift was given to me today by a rather delightful acquaintance. Isn't it just the way that the best gifts are the one's you don't expect and turn out to be something you truly will use?

(TAZO: Zen -green tea -The Vert - full-leaf tea)

Every morning, my tea of choice is TAZO's Zen green tea with lemongrass; well, I was reminded of my all too frequent routine when the gift I received was TAZO's new Zen - green tea, but the difference was they are now sachets with full-leaves (picture of the new packaging above). I had no idea, but it was nice to be reminded that there are thoughtful people among us who simply want to make someone else's day a little brighter. I cannot express fully how much this meant to me. Thank you friend.

So as my pleasant Monday was winding down I decided to try out my new tea with in my favorite tea cup and saucer. A couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to travel with my mother to Victoria, Canada. The Butchart Gardens were a must-see on her list, and rightfully so, because she was born with a green thumb. She had always spoken of this locale, and for far too many times I wasn't aware of the magnitude of this place until we finally arrived. Awe inspiring, truly. I was constantly wracking my mind for ways in which I could incorporate just a small handful of their beautiful ideas into my own yard. The time, effort, energy, planning and care that it must take to create the vision you see in each of the gardens was something I'll never forget, but the most unforgettable thing was the delight it gave my mother. I am just so thankful I was able to experience that moment with her.

While visiting Butchart Gardens was one of primary destinations, we also made sure we visited The Empress Hotel and made reservations in advance for High Tea.

(The Empress Hotel in Victoria Canada during daylight.)

(Nighttime)

(High Tea is now being served!)

Upon having the opportunity to have tea, we purchased a cup and saucer (picture below) from the Library's collection. I often use this set when I want to savor particular moments, events or simply to stop time. Regardless of whether they are big or small moments, I've found that taking the time to make the effort to use such beautiful things helps set a more appreciative mood. So this evening, I'm having a cup of my new tea in my favorite tea cup. Here's to kind hearts. May we all continue to gather more of these people into our lives.

(The Fairmont Empress Hotel -Library collection tea cup and saucer)