Saturday, January 24, 2009

Amazing Connections

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

The story starts a long time ago – say 23 or 24 years just before my son was born. I was working as a graphic designer in Charlotte, NC, about 3 hours from where we live now. The organization I worked for soon hired a typesetter about my age. We became fast friends – she was always so interesting and funny. Eventually I left my job, but she continued on. She kept me up to date on all of our co-workers and friends, until she also left. We stayed in touch by visiting, going to a movie, or going to lunch or dinner. Then I moved here and our contact was somewhat limited by our own obligations. One day she said she had decided to leave everything behind and move to England – a dream I knew she had always had. What admiration I had for her! I was able to visit her a couple times when she was living and working in London. The last time I saw her was about 9 years ago when I attended a teddy bear show there, believe it or not.

That’s a bit of background you need to know.

Today we travelled to Asheville, NC, about 4 hours from where we live now. It is a trip that is part business, part pleasure. It’s a great place for artists, but more about that another day. We decided to wander around in the downtown area to renew our acquaintance with the town. It is filled with wonderful little shops, artsy places, cafes, bookstores and galleries. One place after another was intriguing and inspiring. Creativity overload! It was great! We ventured into this funky little clothing shop stuffed to the brim with eclectic sweaters, hats, purses and jewelry. I had made my way through the entire store, from front to back and back to front where I ended up looking at a rack with some interesting jackets. I looked up to see where my husband and daughter had gone, when I heard my husband exclaim, “Ginger’s over there!”

I looked up and couldn’t believe my eyes. I was nearly speechless but also thrilled to the bone. There in that funky little, jam-packed clothing place was the friend I had met some 20 odd years ago! I was 4 hours from my home and she was who knows how many hours from hers in England! And we chatted like we had only seen each other yesterday. It was absolutely amazing! My husband could scarcely believe it either. It’s the strangest, most unusual, most terrific and serendipitous meeting I have ever had. If someone had said, “Of all the people you know in the world, who do you think you will see today?” I doubt I would have ever guessed she would have been the one.

So, I'd love to know, has anything like this ever happened to you?

4 comments:

  1. A couple years ago I went through a phase where I liked the Three Graces of mythology. I was looking on ebay for anything they might be on, and found a stamp from the 40's attached to an envelope. The bid price was only 3 bucks, so I bid just for the heck of it. I won and when it arrived, the envelope the stamp was attached to was addressed to my Grandfather. I have no doubt it was him because he lived in a very small town and had an unusual name even for the time period.

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  2. This is really amazing. Chance is a wonderful thing, reminds us life can be unusual and fun.

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  3. Wow!! I love hearing about things like this! I can't remember ever experiencing something as amazing but I'm very happy for you!! :D
    Sounds like you two are just meant to cross paths.

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  4. Thanks for reading and for your comments! It was very surreal and a lovely, lovely surprise for us both.

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