Serendipity

I have always liked to write. I was in a journalism class in high school, and one of the assignments of the class was to write and publish the school newspaper. One of my assignments was to interview local merchants and get their ads for the school paper. While doing this, the store merchants would ask me to put some item of news in the county newspaper, so I asked the county paper if I could write about local news for their newspaper, and they agreed. I began to write a column for newspapers when I was a junior in high school. In the 1970’s, I began to put my thoughts in a notebook. Most of these were ideas that I may be able to use later. Today, I pick up one of those notebooks and am amazed at some of the things I wrote during that time. Here is one of those notes I wrote, “Do not speak to me of talent for talent is not a commodity that can be measured, or lost, or borrowed against. It is not yours to use as you will. It is a gift from God, not bestowed because you merit it, but rather a glimpse or a thought, in the mind of God, alighting on you for a reason.”

As I read this, I tried to remember why I wrote those words. What did they mean to me at that time? I never thought about any talent I might have; however, the careers I have experienced are evidence of a reason.

I just happened in photography in the 1960’s. The newspaper I wrote for asked for photographs to accompany the stories I would take to them for publication. So I went to a pawn shop and bought a camera for $20, then I went to a camera shop and spent $100 for equipment and set up a darkroom. Because of demands, this developed into a photography business for 15 years. Friends began to bring me cameras. My collection grew. Certain cameras have been out of date now for many years. Part of my camera collection has been on display at a local eye doctor’s offi ce.

Growing up I never liked to sew. Then, by chance on the invitation of my sister, I attended a workshop on how to sew Seminole Patchwork. That developed into a design business and the writing and publication of a book. That book became a self-publication and is now in its 35^th printing. It has sold over 3,500 copies.

A glimmer of a thought in the mind of God has brought several careers for me, so it must have been for a reason. None of the careers I have had were planned. I call it serendipity. A note in one of my journals reads, “Every child is a story yet to be told.” This is so true. The “Threads of Life” keep intertwining.