Serendipity

Serendipity: a 'happy accident' or 'pleasant suprise'. More specifically serendipity means the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it. I absolutely ♥  the word and its meaning and I truly believe in it although I can't really understand nor explain how it works. Perhaps thats why it feels so magical when it happens to you. I think it works on different levels. From life changing events to smaller coincidences in daily life. From meeting that one guy in the middle of the night in a horrific bar in a city you normally NEVER visit. And where you weren't supposed to be because your best friend became ill but and you should have accompanied her back home. But then, that night you decided otherwise and, against your normal behaviour pattern, decided to party on... And a year later you're planning to live together. (Of course in Amsterdam;-) 


But the reason for this post are, less romantic, door handles. In Franschhoek (South Africa) I bought two extremely cute door handles. There was absolutely no need for me to buy them besides their cuteness factor. They're quite specific and have a vintage look: you either love them or hate them I suppose. The cool thing was that one day after my return D posted a message on her lovely blog which included my door handles. Exibit A: http://coeur-blonde.blogspot.com/2012/01/3x-leuk-idee-voor-in-huis.html It isn't the first time D & I have come across a serendipity action and it makes me smile every time it happens. I think lots of people are interested in the phenomenon and it's even a scientific subject as you can read below the picture.

In The Netherlands, Pek van Andel, is doing his Ph.D on serendipity. He states that coincidences often don't just happen. It's something you have to work on and that you can learn. He has even published an article about serendipity in the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. His dissertation should be finished in 2012. Can't wait to read it, or at least the summary. More information in a Dutch article about van Andel: http://www.depers.nl/binnenland/614923/Vinden-wat-je-niet-zoekt.html