Serendipity

serendipity (noun): an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

I am firmly convinced that every child loves to dig for treasures in the dirt. I was no exception.

Living in the countryside provided plenty of ample opportunities to treasure hunt. With my friends, I would scour the long shelter belts around our property, looking for things that could be considered to be of value. Our various hangouts around the property never gave any indication of having hidden treasures, but it was always fun to imagine.

One day, we had been clearing away some fallen branches and twigs around an open clearing in the shelter belt. Our goal was to build a tree fort (nevermind that we were a bunch kids with no building experience) and we needed space to work. While clearing away some of the branches, we unearthed some glass bottles, several of which were old soda bottles and a few of which I imagine were once perfume or medicinal bottles. The old 7-Up bottle caught my eye. There was not a chip or crack, and the pale green hue was unparalleled, so I cleaned it, kept it, and disposed of the rest of the bottles. 13 years later, this bottle has traveled with me to all my new homes. I like to display it on my windowsill where it captures the light.

Serendipity is defined as an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. Acts of serendipity are not ones we are actively seeking. These acts are happenstance, just like my discovery of the 7-Up bottle half-buried in the dirt. They are our small discoveries in life and our larger ones. We have to remember that sometimes the best things come to us not when we look for them, but when they stumble into our paths without our notice. In other words, an act of serendipity.

What are your 7-Up bottles in life?