Do you believe in coincidences?  Or chance?  Or accidents?  I used to be very intrigued by how unexpected events would unfold in my life.  If I bumped into an old friend while travelling to another country on business, I’d think, “Wow, what a small world!”.  If I stepped on dog poo while rushing for an important appointment, I’d exclaim, “Oh, what bad luck!”.  And if I won a prize in an art competition because I’d submitted it under the wrong category and it turned out to be in my favor, I’d say, “That was by accident!”.

Today, I no longer believe in coincidences, nor chance, nor accidents.  I believe that everything - big or small - is orchestrated in our lives, by a Force that simply knows better.  I am still intrigued though, by how events are still unfolding unexpectedly in my life.  Sometimes it feels like they are little details that I’d left out in my grand plan, but they have been taken cared of nevertheless by my ever efficient spirit guides behind the scenes.  It can be pretty fun to observe the synchronicity of it all.  I have to say … these synchronicities can come with humor and mind-blowing creativity.

I did step on dog poo once when I was rushing for an appointment.  Just as I was sprouting, “Oh @#%^*!”, guess what happened next?  A flower pot fell right in front of me, about 10 steps away from where I stood. and smashed to the ground.  I was stunned!  If I had not stepped on dog poo, my head would be the smashed one.  Was that luck?  You tell me!

It is also interesting to note how some divination methods - such as Astrology, Chinese 4-Pillars Chart (also known as Ba-Zi reading) and Palmistry - have been able to foretell progressive events in a person’s life.  I’ll give you an example here.  My sister had a Ba-Zi reading when she was about 3 years old by a very experienced master.  In his reading, he mentioned that my sister would marry in her thirties, to a fair-skinned foreigner who looks “just like her”.  When my mom shared this info with us when we were younger, we thought nothing of it.  After all, my sister hardly travelled, had local boyfriends, and … well, just didn’t seem like someone who would marry a foreigner.  What are the chances of her meeting the fair-skinned man of her dreams while on a short vacation to South Korea 3 years ago?  Apparently 101% - and she did not speak Korean!  They tied the knot this year (my sister is in her thirties) and my brother-in-law does kinda look like my sister.  Is this chance or destiny?  I’ll leave that to you to decide.

I’ve also noticed how these subtle (and sometimes very obvious) coincidences and accidents in my life come with mini lessons of their own.  Everything happens for a reason, and we can indeed learn a thing or two from every occurrence.  Some have taught me to be more open minded.  Others have taught me about joy, love and gratitude.  Most have taught me that we are all connected - that everything is orchestrated, that we do not meet by chance, even on blogosphere.

I’ll tell you … I’d never thought I’d ever be so grateful stepping on dog poo and feeling so blessed that I’m being watched over!

Blessings,
Irene

Another guest post … this time from my younger daughter, Natalie.

Hello, my name is Natalie.  I am Irene’s younger daughter.  I am 8 years old and I’m fabulous!  I don’t really know what’s a blog and I can’t type fast, so I’m talking while my mommy is typing for me.

I don’t like what my sister said about me on my mommy’s blog (what’s a blog?).  Yes I talk a lot and sing a lot coz it’s so boring when everything is so quiet.  My sister always tells me to shut up, that’s mean!  She complains a lot, so she should be the one to shut up.  I have to take everything for her coz she won’t get off her butt!  She calls me a nerd too.  Hmph!

My mommy calls me a humming bird, coz I hum to myself everywhere I go, and I hop around a lot, like a bird.  She also calls me a squeezy ball and she squeezes me a lot, but I’m not squeezy!  Maybe just a little chubby.  I don’t like being the baby of the family - I’m not a baby you know!  I LOVE dark chocolate and anything with cheese.  The only milk I drink is Meiji milk.  I can eat Koko Krunch cereal with Meiji milk all day.

Last night mommy took us out for seafood dinner with her friends and Shaman Wai.  Shaman Wai is a very kind person, like Grandmother Willow in “Pocahontas”.  She even sang a Dutch birthday song for my sister, who is turning 12 today!  So nice.

My school exams are over, yay!  My sister is still not done with hers yet, hehehe.  OK, I’m bored.  I’m going to talk to my sister now.  Byeee!

Natalie