The word serendipity creeps in my conversation from time to time. I have a general idea what I mean by it but wasn’t sure I could define it if asked. So, I went to the dictionary and looked it up.

Ser-en-dip-i-ty – an aptitude of making desirable discoveries by accident.

Then I had the thought that there are no accidents – just reality. When reality doesn’t go the way we would have hoped, we call it a misfortune or an accident. When reality matches up with what we expect or hope for, then we label it good luck or the way it should be.

Serendipity seems to be one of the disguises that reality wears. When something desirable shows up to enlighten us, we put it in a special, separate box and think that this is a one of a kind item that only comes along once in awhile. We then tuck it away for safe keeping.

I think that practice is misguided. And since we are close to Halloween, here’s a little treat. It’s a little trick I learned from Dr. Dave Dobson to schmooze reality so that it shows up more often in costume.

Thank the part of you that sent the gift and ask it to keep those cards and letters coming.

My 7^rd grade teacher would probably rap me on the knuckles with a ruler for how poorly constructed the following poem is. I only offer it as a reminder rather than a poetic piece for posterity.

Serendipity

When a gift shows up from out of the blue

Express your gratitude with a sincere “Thank You”

Rather than stowing it away with lock and key

Then watch more presents come to be

All the best,

John