| I've always loved the movies where someone says, | | | | prayerfully, when she got an idea to donate books to |
| "Synchronize watches!" A team of heroes would have | | | | a women's shelter, whose location was a secret. |
| to split up to do their individual jobs, but to complete | | | | When she called the shelter to set up delivery of the |
| their common mission successfully, they had to work in | | | | books, the manager learned that a fellow congregant |
| synchronicity. I think I must have enjoyed that so much, | | | | volunteered there and could easily deliver the books. |
| because somewhere inside me I knew, even as a kid, | | | | The manager had not known this congregant before, |
| that that's how it is for all of us. | | | | so neither her idea nor the congregant's volunteering |
| First documented in the academic world by the | | | | caused each other, but they were two small events in |
| psychoanalyst Carl Jung in 1928, synchronicity is the | | | | a larger event of service. |
| occurrence of coincidences (events happening at the | | | | The manager got approval from her church and invited |
| same time) that may not appear to be related in any | | | | the congregation to buy books to donate to the |
| way, except that they are meaningful to us. | | | | shelter. The response was enormous. Not only did |
| There are two aspects of events that place them in | | | | people donate money and buy books for the shelter |
| synchronicity - the events that coincide (meaning they | | | | library, they also brought nice used books - inspiration, |
| happen side-by-side in time) and their meaning for us. | | | | self-help, parenting, and children's books. The manager |
| A car drives by my window at the exact moment that | | | | collected enough books for a small library, and the |
| I write these words. The writing and the driving happen | | | | volunteer delivered them. |
| at the same time, but I probably won't feel the | | | | A week or so later, the manager received a thank-you |
| gratitude and awe I feel when touched by | | | | letter from the director of the shelter that made the |
| synchronicity. However, if Deepak Chopra, who writes | | | | hair on the back of her neck stand up. The director |
| and speaks about synchronicity, drives by at the same | | | | was very grateful for the bookstore's "response" to |
| time I'm writing about the subject, it would be very | | | | recent events. A water pipe had burst, causing |
| meaningful for me. I might feel I received a sign that I | | | | extensive damage to the old women's shelter. Now, |
| was on the right track. I might even be able to run out | | | | the program was in a new shelter location, and the |
| and ask a question that would be good for the article. | | | | women were especially grateful for their new library, |
| An important thing to note about synchronistic events | | | | because their old one had been wiped out in the flood! |
| is that while two events are related by meaning, they | | | | The bookstore manager had not known about this |
| are not related causally - at least, not as we usually | | | | event, so the flood did not cause her idea. And of |
| understand that. Neither event causes the other, yet | | | | course, her idea did not cause the flood that happened |
| they are clearly related. Sometimes a series of | | | | several weeks earlier. It was as if God or the cosmos |
| synchronicities brings about a beautiful manifestation of | | | | had "synchronized watches" between the bookstore |
| love in action. For example: | | | | and the shelter! Such is the beauty and mystery of |
| The manager of a church bookstore was journaling | | | | synchronicity. |