I have a friend named Michael who I often see at the local cafe’. I consider him to be a learned person, although like most of us, has challenges in life. The discussions he and I have cover a wide range of topics, but regardless of what we might be talking about, I always try to let what he has to share soak in as a valuable lesson.
This was brought forth perhaps most clearly with two synchronistic events that occurred during the course of two consecutive days of conversations we had. I had posted on social media a quote by the ancient philosopher, Epictetus. The quote is pictured below:
On the same day that I made that post, I was talking with Michael and, being the lover of philosophy and philosophers as he is, he mentions Epictetus. What are the chances that I would have posted something by the ancient philosopher and on that same day Michael brings him up in a conversation? I kidded with Michael that he had been creeping on my social media page, to which he had a good laugh, since he doesn’t participate in any form of social media.
The very next day, I had seen a post on social media that featured Psalm 121. After reading its verses, I told the person who had posted that I very much appreciated the share. In turn, I also shared the same Psalm on my page. Later that morning, I once again saw Michael in the cafe and struck up a conversation with him. During the course of our discussion, he happens to mention Psalm 121 as a collection of verses that meant a lot to him. I shared with him that he must be creeping on my social media page again because I had just posted that Psalm a few hours before. We had a good laugh over it all. Once again, synchronicity had made itself known. What are the chances that he would just happen to mention a particular book from the Bible that a friend of mine had shared that same day and I had reshared?
One last synchronistic conversation I had with Michael occurred the next day I talked with Michael at the cafe. We were discussing poetry and poets, of which he seems to have a wealth of knowledge. He said he didn’t particularly enjoy the works of Edgar Alan Poe because most of his poems tended to be depressing. I mentioned to him that I had researched and read his poem “The Raven” over the course of the past several months. The next day I didn’t see Michael at the cafe’, but I did see that had on display and a small book of Poe’s poetry on a table. Did Michael see this book on display before he mentioned it to me or is it another example of a synchronistic occurrence? I haven’t seen him over the past week or so, but when I do, I’ll be sure to ask.
What does it all mean, you might ask? I believe the synchronicities that we experience point us to certain truths that we need to pay attention to in life. In the case of the Epictetus quote, I revisited it and thought of how it applied to my own life. In the case of the 121st Psalm, I also looked at it once more and copied it into my journal. I’m not quite sure of what possible meaning the Poe synch might have, but I’ll be rereading some of his poetry to see if there are possible messages for me in my life.
Just my take on the all of my friend Michael and the synchronicities that he and I have experienced over the last little while. And who knows what else might lay ahead in those conversations we have.
David Lee 