Serendipity – the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it.
I love the sound of this word ser-en-dip-i-ty. I also like the idea of discovering fortunate unplanned connections. My parents always say you have to make your own luck and the harder you work the luckier you get, but chance must come into it.
My first regular singing lessons were in a group of children at Stagecoach Theatre Arts, my brothers and I joined Stagecoach because my parents were concerned we were sitting watching TV all Saturday morning and made it their new year’s resolution to get my older brother and me in to a healthy activity. After several years the singing coach Jan Bartai suggested I should try to get some one-on-one singing lessons because there is only so far a teacher can take you in a group lesson. Out of the blue a new singing teacher started working at my high school, I put my name down for a 30 minute lesson each week and she introduced me to classical vocal training and classical music for the first time.
Jayne encouraged me to enter music festivals, we didn’t know they existed until then and through them I have met the most wonderful people. The people that volunteer their time to run these festivals are wonderful, generous spirited people who have been very encouraging, several of them have become good friends to me, giving me opportunities to sing with their choirs and perform with them in recitals, often raising much needed funds for local charities.
In a more recent example we were asked to create a reflection journal to record our experiences in the hope that in doing so we would discover something useful. At first I found this a very odd concept as it felt more like a diary rather than a tool for self-development, but by sticking with it I identified small incidental ideas that helped me to work more effectively and to sing better.
This is why I started this blog to continue what I started and explore the world around me for advice, ideas and new friends. Who knows what my next serendipitous moment will be 🙂
I would be really interested to know if you have had such a moment and if so how did it impact on your life ?
excellent post, serendipity happens to me all the time, my imagination works a lot faster than I do and I struggle to keep up. I was about to start writing an article about copyright when I found a post about bridges and then began writing a poem that came from nowhere, then was talking online to a pal, only to discover some other project I had forgotten. Inspiration finds me in the strangest of places and often when I am not looking for it. that, for me, is where the best writing comes from, something natural, magical. Thanks for sharing, best wishes from Baldy 🙂
Hi Kieran, how bizarre I was only talking to my parents about copyright this morning as I was hoping to get into the recording studio tomorrow and post the results on my blog, so if you have any tips please point me in the right direction. Maybe this is my next serendipitous moment 🙂
All the best
Charlotte
I’ll be sure to post it in my ‘about me’ section once I have run it by some people in the know here. Good luck in the recording studio tomorrow! 🙂
I am bombarded by serendiptious moments. My believe–they are there for those who have their eyes wide open to see them (or hear, or touch, or…)
Brilliant Victoria I totally agree 🙂
Charlotte
Good luck, Charlotte – I knew someone who was a counselor at Stagecoach – sounded like a nice place. k.
I loved my Saturday mornings singing and dancing with my friends, especially the end of year shows 🙂
Come back soon
Charlotte
i don’t have any particular serendipitous moments to write about; or rather, a few too many to begin to mention! everything can have meaning, and i think if you look hard enough, you can see terrible and wonderful connections everywhere.
passion is the key, i think. if you are doing something you really believe in, so much so that you’re in danger of being consumed by it, you become attuned to countless coincidences and connections; they may have always existed, just waiting for you to notice them. so i definitely agree: we make our own luck, as long as we have passion, as well as the ability to notice what’s going on around us, what the world is trying to show us.
phew, sorry for the long reply! your post made me think, though, so it’s not really my fault 🙂
Thanks for the reply, this is an honest and great representation of what I was thinking. I suppose if you are passionate about something then you will find that your hard work puts you in the right places, its then for you to make the situation spectacular and serendipitous.
Warmest wishes
Charlotte
This was a very nice read.When I walk through my memories, all that ever happened to me was like this. It made me a much happier person I feel, then perhaps Life intended me to be.
Thanks your comment it has a lovely sentiment.
Charlotte
My poetry will be on NineMusesPoetry that I will reblog on Peaches now and then for the people who want the rated E version of me Peaches herself is very unfettered and says whatever she thinks because she has issues to work out, whichever you choose I’m glad to have you and wish you luck with your music.
Surely your attitude belies your internal and external rising star status. the only thing better than an old favorite pair of pants is someone recognizing our talents and helping us to see those talents more clearly! Congrats for having a wonderful pair of pants in your teacher Jayne! I expect greatness will flow through your career as you continue to believe in yourself!
Thank you, the support that I have received from people visiting my blog has been fantastic and helps when you need a little boost 🙂
Please come back and visit again soon.
Charlotte
I too like the word! My serendipity occured when I happened to fall into a great career.
Thanks for sharing your serendipitous moment with me 🙂 I hope your career goes from strength to strength.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Love this. It’s like being in the mystery of life..the magic. Yes, I find this a lot when I am feeling connected to my true self. Thanks for finding me.
Blessings-
Laurie
It truly is odd how things work out. I have never looked up the word’s meaning (serendipity). Thanks for the lookup for me! Great post, great songs
I am so glad that I could help and thanks for dropping by and leaving such a lovely comment 🙂
Thanks
Charlotte
We all have that serendipitous moment that brings us to new and exciting life phases. Mine happened while I was lazily browsing the internet and decided to sign up for an organization. I wasn’t planning on being an active member or anything, but, at this point in time, I am already very active in several social causes that we are advocating for. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your music, your life and everything else in between. Thank you for following my blog, too! 🙂 Continue making good music and exploring more potentially serendipitous occasions. All the best. 🙂
Thank you and keep in contact.
Charlotte
i never paid any attention to the meaning of serendipity but now, i think it’s a cool word that i’m gonna remember.
by the way, you’re voice is beautiful 🙂
I glad I could help 🙂 I hope you drop by again soon.
Best wishes
Charlotte
i shall do 🙂
The concept/event is lso linked to the concepts of synchronicity and lucid dreaming. If you are interested, I have a post on lucid dreaming “Flower-gram: The Dream Blooms.”.
Also, Thanks for visiting my blog. It is much appreciated. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion I will take a look.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte,
I really like your post. I think moments like this happen all the time, but you must be open to them to notice it. I’m going through a big career change myself which has been a bit of challenge but moments like theses keep you going.
I like this quote:
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle;or you can live as if everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein
Thanks for following my blog, following u from now on 😉
Parisa
Parisa, I think that I must be the latter then because I am always amazed by the wonders that happen every day 🙂
I hope to see you back here again soon.
Charlotte
I love that your parents started trying to avoid too much tv…and you ended with a lifelong passion! Music has a funny way of taking you further than you planned to go, and it’s a great ride. Thanks for the follow. ; )
shalom
Hi Esther, I have enjoyed the journey so far and though I have still along way to go I just can’t wait to take the next few steps 🙂 Come back and visit again when you can.
Kindest regards
Charlotte