Serendipity

I often enjoy writing about fortuitous moments in life where everything aligns to create a happy happenstance. This week has been no different…

It all started on an impromptu afternoon stroll through our new forest close to our house. We have been blessed with some amazing locations and this new abode is no different. Walking a Roman line from the edge of our house to the forest, we crossed over into a world emerging from dust and new born infrastructure – a new housing estate replacing the old transport testing site.

Halfway through our exploration of derelict paths and strange little crossroads in the midst of towering conifers looming from above, we bumped into our old neighbour, a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. After catching up on each other’s adventures over the past few years we wished each other farewell and moved on. I thought nothing of the chance meeting but, little did I know, it would ignite a spark that flamed into a decision that has changed both our lives.

A day later, I received a message from the same lady asking me to consider a very important offer: to adopt her beautiful cocker spaniel. I shook my head in disbelief and had to read the words again. It came at a time when I felt I couldn’t love another dog, let alone care for it the way that I had loved Henry. Yet, before my brain could come up with the words, my heart expressed its desires through my fingers and I agreed to take her. No consultation was necessary with the rest of the family. Their pain has been apparent over the past five months.

When I broke the news to them, tears, hugs and laughter filled our new living space and bubbles of excitement grew as a plan formed to surprise my youngest sprog whose birthday was in two days.

At exactly 1.30pm on Thursday, we met up with my friend in a ‘chance’ encounter at the same forest. Unbeknownst to my sprog, the little brown spaniel he admired throughout our walk would be coming home with us! By the end of the walk, I had the most important details about her given to me in stolen secret conversations while he followed behind, dragging his feet in the dust because he couldn’t bear being around dogs without his heart aching for his best friend, Henry. Before we knew it, it was time to return to the car park to do the exchange.

My heart beat in my mouth as I took the little beauty’s lead and placed her in my car. Confusion and then squeals of excitement filled the cabin. I had to concentrate on getting the little lady settled and soon it was time to say good-bye and thanks. My friend and I hugged each other and I hugged her twin sister who had been there for the whole thing, the message, the planned meeting and the exchange. I felt a mixture of joy, love and pain – pain because my months of mourning Henry weren’t over but this little lady would help me remember how to believe again.

Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

If we hadn’t gone for that walk, at that specific time and bumped into a lady I don’t get to see anymore because our children have grown and scattered like seeds in the wind, I would never have met our new addition to our family, Millie.

She’s loving, intuitive to emotions, insists on being carried (as you see in the pic) and is helping us heal our broken hearts. In return, we will give her the quiet home she needs and an abundance of kisses, just as she enjoyed with her previous loving family.

Serendipity led me to Henry and now the same can be said for Millie. Who am I to question fate with such amazing results?