Do you believe in serendipity?
The events that led to my seeing a favourite Spanish singer in concert can only be described as such. I shall regale you with the tale (forgive me this little indulgence):
Once upon a time... No, too cliché. To set the scene, then, the following details: I had bought concert tickets for my flatmate's birthday to see aforementioned popular artiste. The concert was to be in an entirely different city, which we would visit and where we would stay with friends who would also attend the event. The flatmate knew of the trip but not of the show in question. Voilà problem numero uno.
Now, the friend we were to stay with is a remarkably flaky character as it transpires. Little did I know that he had in fact quit his job in the other city a good week ahead of the concert, and was back in our vicinity. My flatmate had his suspicions but for one reason or another chose not to voice them. He merely assumed that the weekend away was not to happen, and thus made his own plans accordingly.
Alas, this left yours truly in the delightful pickle of having tickets to a concert at entirely the wrong end of the country with less than 48 hours' notice to rid myself thereof. Various schemes were cooked up and dismissed as to whether I could indeed attend, but it was deemed a failure and consigned to the 'oh well never mind' bin. And so I set about trying to peddle the tickets, best salesface on, and though for a while it did seem a fool's errand, eventually there they were, gone. Three for cash recompense and one as a charitable gift, for the sake of the old "want not waste not" mantra.
So. We were no longer going to the concert. By this point I had let the cat out of the bag and told a slightly-disappointed-but-not-overly-surprised flatmate about the whole charade. Game over.
That evening, I had lined up another gig lined up (this time in my own city with my own people, who were undeniably less fallible) and so off we popped to have a good time. There we were, dancing away, relishing in the wide array of - I concede, somewhat juvenile - performances, and I soon forgot the trials and tribulations of the ticket debacle that morning.
The more popular the act, the more electric the atmosphere, and although it was aimed at a somewhat younger target audience, the concert turned out to be immensely fun and very diverting.
All of a sudden, the compère (or rather, local DJ, but hey who's against handing him a promotion here) announced that he had a surprise for us. A thrill of anticipation shivered through the crowd. As he began to drop hints about who the unexpected artist might be, thrilled whispers rippled all around us, whipping us up into an impatient frenzy...
Lo and behold, it was the very same singer I had been due to see the following day! We could not believe our luck. Call it fate, call it chance, call it what you will; it certainly put a smile on our faces. I'm positive I was in a delectable daze of disbelief the rest of the evening. Goodness knows it made up for the unhappy fiasco earlier on. The only disagreeable factor was that the flatmate, the original beneficiary of the piece, ultimately saw no gain in any way; he at best had a pang of jealousy or a slight moue of disappointment to play with.
And so, to conclude, it may all have been a mere balance of fortune, that I should be cursed with a failed attempt then blessed by being in the right place at the right time. Maybe each was in some way my own doing, if you believe in karmic retribution. Who knows. I choose to accept that it was sheer serendipitous luck. It may be a romantic notion or a foolhardy idea, all 'Que Sera, Sera' as Doris would have it, but I find that it more than adequately fits this tale, with no further explanation needed.
And besides, doesn't the word just roll off the tongue oh-so-nicely?!
Tuesday 29 October 2013
Sunday 6 October 2013
A friend in need is a friend indeed!
"Make new friends, but keep the old: one is silver and the other gold." This wise refrain has been with me the past few weeks for numerous reasons. During a difficult time, new and old friends alike have offered words of support and courage, hoping and praying all around the world for a positive outcome, and I couldn't be more grateful. It is remarkable how much strength can be found in the comfort of a loved one, and no matter the scale of their gesture nor the closeness of the relationship.
On a daily basis we each take our respective "normality" for granted; that is to say, we only really notice when things stop running as they should. This can happen as a gradual process, which we adjust to accordingly over time, and whatever issue thereby just becomes another fact of life. Not necessarily a positive thing, but it can be worked around. Or something can suddenly occur; a world can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye, when a message comes to say somebody has been taken ill, for example. I'm talking about personal crises, the events that shake your faith and burst your bubble. How we each deal with these situations is down to each and every one of us: we find our own ways of coping, and everyone has his or her own recovery period.
But the true and constant fact is that the motivation we receive from those around us helps keep us strong and inevitably speeds this recovery along. Having a network of loved ones offering assistance or encouraging words can make all the difference: it is the aid we sometimes need to stay steady and keep a level head when all around seems turbulent and distorting. They are the life-jacket in a sea of uncertainty, the anchor that grounds us and tells us everything will be okay, that we will still be here when the waters are again calm.
With this in mind, I would like to give a word of thanks to all those who in turn offer their compassion and on whatever level become terra firma, their actions, words, and understanding providing an emotional crutch that rights us until we are able to find our feet and stand tall once more. Indubitably these people ask no gratitude, no recognition in return for amity, they do not lend their kindness and consideration at a price; yet I feel it often goes under-acknowledged that the grace of human goodness incites this altruistic support even towards those we barely know.
We as humanity connect to one another and can sympathise or empathise even with total strangers. For our acquaintances, we can spare a thought, a prayer, a reassuring remark. And to our dear ones we can be the leaning post, the comfort, the rallying cheer, the shoulder to cry on, the reminder that things will be better.
So wear a smile for those who look like they need one, care for them in sadness and share with them their gladness, be the strength they need in any way you can. Know that they are appreciative even when they are left without the words to express it. Be the friend you would want to have by your side.
And in case they don't say it out loud, I will say it here and now; 'thank you' for being there for them. A digital salute to each and every one of you. Merci!
On a daily basis we each take our respective "normality" for granted; that is to say, we only really notice when things stop running as they should. This can happen as a gradual process, which we adjust to accordingly over time, and whatever issue thereby just becomes another fact of life. Not necessarily a positive thing, but it can be worked around. Or something can suddenly occur; a world can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye, when a message comes to say somebody has been taken ill, for example. I'm talking about personal crises, the events that shake your faith and burst your bubble. How we each deal with these situations is down to each and every one of us: we find our own ways of coping, and everyone has his or her own recovery period.
But the true and constant fact is that the motivation we receive from those around us helps keep us strong and inevitably speeds this recovery along. Having a network of loved ones offering assistance or encouraging words can make all the difference: it is the aid we sometimes need to stay steady and keep a level head when all around seems turbulent and distorting. They are the life-jacket in a sea of uncertainty, the anchor that grounds us and tells us everything will be okay, that we will still be here when the waters are again calm.
With this in mind, I would like to give a word of thanks to all those who in turn offer their compassion and on whatever level become terra firma, their actions, words, and understanding providing an emotional crutch that rights us until we are able to find our feet and stand tall once more. Indubitably these people ask no gratitude, no recognition in return for amity, they do not lend their kindness and consideration at a price; yet I feel it often goes under-acknowledged that the grace of human goodness incites this altruistic support even towards those we barely know.
We as humanity connect to one another and can sympathise or empathise even with total strangers. For our acquaintances, we can spare a thought, a prayer, a reassuring remark. And to our dear ones we can be the leaning post, the comfort, the rallying cheer, the shoulder to cry on, the reminder that things will be better.
So wear a smile for those who look like they need one, care for them in sadness and share with them their gladness, be the strength they need in any way you can. Know that they are appreciative even when they are left without the words to express it. Be the friend you would want to have by your side.
And in case they don't say it out loud, I will say it here and now; 'thank you' for being there for them. A digital salute to each and every one of you. Merci!
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