Big Magic

Love these words that someone in my The Bigger Yes class, by @LaurenMcKowen posted yesterday. If you haven’t read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, definitely add it to your list. After I worked 30 years in corporate and then went on my hunt for what made me happy, as Liz says, I think it is so much about magic.

Last night, I went to a dear friend’s book signing but was a bit lost in the parking lot and ran into a woman who had just come from the launch. She told me a better place to park and I thanked her. For some reason, I turned and said “Hi, I am Ellen.” And she said, “OMG, do you know who you are? LOL. I am Jayne.”

This was Jayne, a beautiful chiropractor from the town over. She became obsessed with little Syd after one was gifted to her. She would call to place an order and go on and on about how impressed she was with my journey. It always made me feel good because there were plenty of times I needed that pick-me-up but we never met face-to-face.

One day, she called to tell me she realized that we had a connection. She was best friends with Sydney Gross’ family and Sydney was a big part of creating Syd (read my blog post Happy Anniversary, Syd). So, there was that particular magic.

The most magical story–stay with me here–was that when she took her daughter back to college, a horrific accident happened. Their car rolled over twice into the woods and was totaled; glass, clothes and suitcases everywhere. Miraculously, she and her daughter climbed out of the sunroof and were safe. As she waited on the side of the road for her husband to come get them, she walked into the woods and she saw her daughter’s Sidor, the prayer book she got at her Bar Mitzvah, sitting there perfectly. Then she saw a porcelain owl sitting right on top. Her father collected these sculptures and gifted each grandchild one. There was also a flat page of stamps with LOVE all over them standing straight up. Lastly, she saw Syd with two thumbs up on the little hill overlooking the scene on a square foot of land that had no glass but a prayer book, owl, LOVE stamps–and Syd!

What a story. We talked about it over the phone but it wasn’t until last night that we came face-to-face.

What are the chances that we walked by each other at that moment? She was leaving as I was just getting there. Yet there are no coincidences.

This is such a magical life!