Structuring
Serendipity
The forced structure and organization of a
list: the whimsical gaseousness of pure chance. Is it possible to fuse such juxtaposed forces into a common
experience like Yin and Yang?
Could Lewis and Clark really travel with Cheech and Chong?
My
bucket list…
Like buying a lottery ticket, the power of
bucket lists is that of inspiring people to plan, to look forward and to share
with others. Sharing and
collaboration bring us closer to each other. Dreaming about experiences that not only enliven us but also
act as an extension of who we are and want to be.
Pleasure
in preparation….
Taking care to list experiences that would facilitate
an opportunity to live life to it’s fullest, but does the bucket list really
facilitate this goal? Unfortunately, bucket lists foreclose upon serendipity.
Bucket lists may provide structure to
travel planning, but what of the “non-bucket list” experiences? What of the delight in discovering a
small espresso bar in Melbourne famous only to locals? Finding an eclectic shop in San
Francisco? Seeking sanctuary from
a sudden rain to discover a new favorite cocktail in Soho? Enter serendipity. But where does this leave your bucket
list?
Serendipity
found…
I recently traveled to Tampa facing an
itinerary that included my father’s funeral and baseball Spring Training. On my bucket list? No, but why not? Shouldn’t the bucket also have capacity
for chance opportunities?
Doesn’t serendipity also enrich us like bucket
lists? While bucket lists are constructed
by personal experiences and imagination, serendipity is free from these constraints. Life took me to Tampa but serendipity enriched
my experiences.
Serendipity provided unanticipated additions
to my bucket of experiences: a baseball game with my mother; a Cuban themed
restaurant; and facilitating my father’s funeral service. My
revised bucket list? Embrace opportunities.
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