Coincidence: Clues from the Universe and Be Good, Do Good, Find Good

Do you believe in coincidences? Or, are you more like me, inclined to think these serendipitous events are more than chance happenings in life?

Especially after a few recent ‘coincidences’, I’m in the camp with Deepak Chopra, who points them out as ‘clues from the universe’.

In his 2003 book, Chopra explains “Coincidences are not accidents but signals from the universe which can guide us toward our true destiny.”

I was reminded of this as I opened an email yesterday that caught me totally by surprise.

The subject line: Karlin, your seat neighbor from London to Boston

I instantly dove deep into my brain to recall my flight home from London to Boston last month. It was one of three legs in a very long day, which started that morning in Barcelona, Spain, and ultimately ended in Atlanta, GA, on the night before Thanksgiving (honestly, it ended up being the morning of, but let’s not digress).

Anyway, I opened the email and the message inside left me in tears. Happy tears.

I’ll let you read:

Hi Desiree!

I hope that your flight to Atlanta was smooth and that you have had a fantastic holiday season. Happy New Year!

I am unbelievably grateful that the Universe sat me next to you on that flight from London to Boston in November. What you told me really stuck with me–“when you have an idea, go for it, buy the domain, don’t hesitate, don’t wait, nail it down”!

Guess what I did the next day? I bought a domain (www.thewanderingswami.com)! Not only that, I outlined an entire business plan for the business that I am now launching, piece by piece. 

Thank you for sharing your knowledge (and armrest) with me. I will always be grateful.

Wishing you all the best,

Karlin

PS. How is “Be Good, Do Good, Find Good” coming along?

Immediately, the conversation, and Karlin’s face, came rushing back. She was younger than me, probably in her mid 20’s. We talked a bit about life. I mentioned my TV job, along with my websites. As a travel lover, she embraced the website idea, and told me she shared her photographs online with family and friends, but not really with the world. I encouraged her to make the leap, and gave her my business card in case she wanted to reach out later. I honestly didn’t think I made that big an impression, so the email now—six weeks later–really hit my heart.

But here’s the crazy part.

Her last name, which I don’t remember her saying before, is Krishnaswami. It showed up in the ‘from’ portion of her email address.

The Krishna part is what jumped out at me.

Why?

Well, on a flight a few weeks after the Barcelona one, as I was making my way down to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, I sat next to a woman who was incredibly upset. I was in a middle seat, and she was sitting at the window. She was trying hard to hold it in, but there was no way to ignore her tears, her entire body shaking with emotion. I don’t know how anyone could witness that kind of hurt and not reach out, so I did.

I asked if there was something I could do for her. She wasn’t able to speak. I put my hand on her hand and told her she didn’t have to talk, but I wanted her to know someone cared. That she could take my hand off hers if she would prefer I leave her alone. Instead, she squeezed it. So I took it one step further, putting my arm around her in a hug of sorts. I let her know that the plane was safe, so if she was afraid of that, we’d be ok. If it was something more, she could tell me about it if she wanted me to know, and that I was a good listener. I told her I’d also been hurt deeply, and knew what it felt like to believe you were dying inside, or wish you were. To this, she gave me her eyes, and finally spoke, saying yes, that’s what was happening with her. She explained that, as she sat next to me, her partner was in the back of the plane, choosing to be apart from her. She was crushed. We talked a little more, about big things like getting therapy, and about little things, like the jewelry she was wearing. She regained composure as she shared her belief about flowers—that they were smiles from God. I told her I agreed. I asked her name. Krishna, she said. She asked me mine. I told her. She smiled wide, then said of course I would be named Desiree, the same name as her little sister’s best friend. She felt it was divine that I was seated next to her. There to help.

And by the time the flight landed, she was stronger. Perhaps even ok.

And now, a month after that last flight, this email appeared from my previous seat-mate, who turned out to also have Krishna in her name.

Two flights. To two very different parts of the world. Seated next to two very different people.

Coincidence? Much more.

And here I was, in the weeks after both flights, looking for direction of my own. Feeling a little lost, and honestly, a bit sad, about what comes next in my life. My marriage now over and family very different today than it was a year ago, I was struggling. Yes, I’d been feeling stronger and even hopeful for a few months, but as sometimes happens to the best of us, the hope started losing to loneliness, and my mind’s fear over what was ahead for me was winning my daily battle for happiness.

While on the flight to London, I had told Karlin that during my trip to Barcelona, I’d bought the domain name for a new website I wanted to create: Be Good, Do Good, Find Good. It came to me while having drinks with my sweet friend who was hosting me on the trip. It felt like an epiphany at the time. It may have been the cava she’d introduced me to (again–the irony–cava is a Spanish drink, similar to my beloved Prosecco, pronounced very much like Cabo, my destination weeks later). Karlin had even asked about it in her PS in her email.

Yet, I’d done little more than think about that site in the weeks since purchasing its domain. I knew I wanted to put more good out in the world, but wasn’t putting the work in to make it happen.

And here, thanks to what some would call coincidence– two Krishna’s in my life, I believe the universe is sending me a signal, pushing me—hard—to pursue my new destiny: to get that site up…and to spread more good in the world.

So, I’m taking the hint. Expect to see the new site in the next year. In the meantime, follow the Facebook group here.

If you also want to ‘Be Good, Do Good, Find Good’ let me know and I’ll put you to work with me. I promise, it’ll be good. Great even.