Synchroncity

No rhyme or reason why something touches a cord with me. Gets me thinking, wanting to blog my thoughts. Yesterday, it was an e-mail from Writer’s Digest advertizing a new workshop. The introduction mentioned synchronicity. You know, preparation slamming into significant serendipity. A case of ‘when the student is ready the teacher will come.’

According to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, synchronicity is the coincidental occurrence of events and esp. psychic events. (As similar thoughts in widely separated persons or mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seems related but is not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality.

Over my years of writing I’ve had this happen many times while researching a book, poem, or short story. Someone or something shows up, seemingly out of the blue, related to my research, while I’m doing something completely unrelated. Might simply be a case of—if you look for it you’ll find it, but I suspect it’s more because I am open to the subject.

I think that is part of being prepared as a writer—being open-eyed, childlike, in awe of everything. Question everything and everyone. That’s my policy.

I’m often accused of asking too many questions (my father called me Doubting Thomas because even after I should have outgrown it, I asked, why, about darn near everything. Drove him nuts. As the mother of inquisitive children, I understand.) I admit questions still pop into my mind, first thing. I question everything. When I was younger, I kept those questions to myself. My father’s admonishment and my own natural shyness tempering my curiosity. I felt it was a flaw of character.

No longer.

I think, I know, I was born to be a writer. I was made, meant to write about the world around me in some capacity. A questioning mind is a good thing. Always was. It makes for the student being ready when the teacher arrives.

Prepare for synchronicity. Question everything. Learn all you can. It will make your writing richer, fuller, better.