SERENDIPITY by Anon

        In an age of INSTANTS – coffee, oatmeal, cash as in ATM,slot machines , Actifast Panadol, we can become numb to special serendipitous moments that shock us into the brink of our humanity. 

Serendipity Moment 1

       At 5.45 pm on a Saturday I bought a packet of soap powder from Happy Mart, paid for it after rummaging for notes and some coins, Then I left and went to attend evening church service. Arriving home at 7.20 pm. I looked for my wallet in which was a key I needed. The wallet was gone. I searched, outside the house, inside the house, under the car, every inch of the drive way,  the bag where the wallet is kept, checked every path taken before / after church. No sign of wallet. Restless the whole night, woke up,  determined  to make a police report on loss of the IC. Then the next frantic search of the pew where I sat in church, the car park, queries directed to car park attendant /parishioners. Finally before going to the police station we made a last desperate attempt – return to Happy Mart with the vain hope that honesty will prevail, if in fact, I had left it behind.  

As soon as I entered the shop, the foreign worker produced the wallet which he had kept safely in a drawer. Relief flooded over me. I did not have to check the contents as he advised. RM 270 plus coins which would have been temptation with a capital T was intact. I could have sunk to the ground begging forgiveness for lack of faith …in the power of prayer and  in the goodness to be found especially in foreign labour. Of course I thanked him with a gift that brought a big smile to his young face. Kindness is contagious.

Serendipity Moment 2

      In 1982 I was in a boat with a strong, male native of Sibu and a middle aged woman also native of the town. The three of us were merrily cruising down the river which was the colour and the density of teh tarik, (tea with condensed milk).Suddenly the boat began to swing in circles caught on the outer rim of a whirlpool.  We screamed like banshees 
“ we are going to die.” The young hero jumped out of the boat and yanked it out of the swirling waters. Relief gave way to fear. What if? Not time to go yet? 

Serendipity Moment 3

       In 2012 I was in Sydney, Australia for a spiritual re-foundation course. I had gone for an evening walk in the extensive grounds of the centre, overstayed my timing, hurried back as per my speedy Gonzales pace and fell over a boulder, dislodging my right knee cap and pushing out my femur. Helpless and immobile, without handphone, stranded in  wintry cold , would I have to meet my Maker now? I prayed – for mercy before the judgement seat of my Maker or help to rescue me? 

An elderly man passed by, taking his dog for a walk. He went to the centre and help came in the form of two strong Australian males who effortlessly put me in a car, they actually laughed as they quipped “ we have never seen such a tiny woman”. I was barely 38 kg and 5 ½’ .Laugh all you want – I was mighty glad to be rescued from an untimely demise.      All great discoveries / inventions are attributed to moments of “ Aha”  – serendipitous seconds signalling visitations of the Gift Giver . I have had these moments. The discoveries I have made?  They provide some glimpses of my insignificance in the grand order of the universe.