Serendipity or Do?

Do you know the meaning of the word serendipity? Although it is often used interchangeably with the term good luck, is there more to the expression? I decided to find out.

I came across the word serendipity in my word-of-the-day calendar. As a writer, I constantly strive to sharpen my prose, determined to use one word rather than a string of useless conjunctions and dangling participles. Most often, I fail in this endeavor. If you are still reading this post, you will likely agree. All of us are guilty of using a word we are vaguely familiar with but never take the time to discover its origins. For example, how did serendipity come to be included in the lexicon of our language? 

I've always associated serendipity with the terms fortune, luck, chance, or fate. But was I correct? You must admit, it’s a lovely word. The sheer way the five syllables roll off your tongue is both sweet and mysterious all at once—a pleasure to speak out loud.

My five-year-old granddaughter has quite an extensive vocabulary for her age. She is a talker and, as an only child, has spent most of her time learning words from adults. She is a visual, creative child who bursts with sunny optimism. She loves to sing, dance, and draw, making me happy just around her. Currently, she is into solving mysteries and loves to walk about with her magnifying glass and flashlight, ostensibly looking for "clues." I could go on, extolling the virtues of this exceptional child, but I need to get back to the subject of my post.

"I love mysteries, too," I proudly exclaim. "So much so that I've actually written one. I pull out a copy of my book, Hive and Seek. “Here it is." But, alas, no one puts your ego in check as quickly as a child. She quickly flips through the pages and asks, "Where are the pictures, Nana?” Sigh…, other than the lovely cover art, there are none to my chagrin.

At that moment, I had my own serendipitous thought. See how I was able to throw the word in. Pretty nifty, huh? But was it serendipity, or had I been misusing the word all along?

As I often do, I went down the rabbit hole, searching out the word's meaning. Somehow, I always likened serendipity to good luck. But, according to Merriam-Webster, the actual definition is: "the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for." 

Hmm…, not sought for. To discover the unexpected. As I follow my grandchild about the farm, pretending to be a detective searching for mysterious nature clues. She finds a magic stick, a flower petal, and half a black walnut from the tree in the front yard, picked and cleaned by the bushy-tailed squirrel preparing for winter. The shell splits cleanly in half and lies face up on the ground. The empty shape resembles the face of an owl. She picks it up and shouts, "Look, Nana, I found an owl face." Eureka, a wonder of nature, a happen-sense? I must confess I developed the same tendency in childhood, picking up random objects from the ground. Objects that strike my fancy like an odd-shaped stone, a colorful piece of glass. But, on the rare occasion, I find a smiling owl face nutshell, I always stop to pick it up and keep the rough-hewn sphere stuffed into my coat pocket during the fall and winter months. I consider them a lucky talisman, the equivalent of a four-leafed clover, a comforting presence as I do my chores. The owl, a symbol of wisdom, the ancient Greeks is believed to represent Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. 

But how has it come that my granddaughter and I walked by this particular nutshell lying face up in the grass at this very moment? Is this a case of serendipity, fate, kismet? Or perhaps a bit of each, all rolled up into one?

Upon further inquiry, I discovered the word originates from Sanskrit and is the ancient name of Sri Lanka, "Serendip." Most writers attribute the term to Horace Walpole, a noted writer and politician of the 18th century. It is said that Walpole first coined the phrase in 1754, taken from the Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip. It is a story of three young princes sent out on a journey of discovery by their father, the King of Serendio, an ancient kingdom from around 420-440 BC. During their travels, they encounter a series of unexpected and often misfortunate events. They solve several mysteries along the way, using the wit and knowledge gained throughout their adventures. When the trio finally returns to their home, each is destined to become a wise and good ruler. It is a classic tale of resilience, overcoming obstacles set in their paths.

As I take a moment to ponder the moral of this fairytale, I ask myself: do I take the time to reflect on the unexpected and the intrinsic value serendipitous moments add to my life? Do I appreciate the joy of discovery, or am I guilty of squirreling away the moment somewhere deep in the recesses of my brain, never to be seen or heard from again? Can I apply the knowledge gained from a seemingly random encounter to the here and now? 

Life is full of unexpected moments and choices. You never know what you might learn about yourself when you bend down to pick up a smiling owl face. So, be open to a sweet taste of serendipity, and remember to enjoy the journey along the way!