Have you ever experienced a serendipitous event? ...haha... This is just me flaunting the word "Serendipity" which has just been added to my vocabulary. Since I learned it, I have been looking for an excuse to use it (which I just did). Try saying "Serendipity" over and over, sounds cool, doesn't it?
According to Collins Dictionary
"Serendipity is the luck some people have in finding or creating interesting or valuable things by chance.
I could randomly think of a lot of scientific experiments that are arguable serendipitous (ha! I used it again). Some of the popular ones I can think of includes:
The invention of ice cream cones
The making of Coca-Cola
The discovery of Vulcanised Rubber
I won't bore you with the details but you will find the reference link in the "Reference" section of this article to entertain your curiosities. Many people have written articles on different serendipitous activities over the years which is why I won't be doing the same, instead, I will share my experience. You might want to get popcorn for this haha.
There are several of such experiences I can think of, and as a firm believer that there's no such thing as luck because nothing happens by chance, there were some experiences I had that no matter how hard I try, I just don't see how to make sense of them, but what do I know eh.
The mysterious 1000 Naira note (#1,000 or $2)
Yes, $2 might seem really small in your country, it's definitely something in mine. This happened at a time when I had nothing. As a student, there are times when you have nothing because you might need to spend it on materials or projects. This was just one of those days.
It was a Friday, the end of a school week. I had no money left and wasn't expecting anything from my parents till the following week. As I ate my last plate of cereal for breakfast, I did my best to slow my pace as I would have to fight hunger for a while. I didn't want to start sharing my problems with anyone and so my big plan was to suffer in silence (a very bad idea).
As I said, it was Friday, the best time to watch your dirty clothes as you prepare for another busy week. Thankfully my Fridays are mostly free so I do most of my washing as early as possible. I started with the shirts, then to the trousers, I had mostly jeans and I always prefer to leave the thick clothing for last.
As I was about to wash the trousers, a thought came to me to check the pockets for sharp objects as I have been hurt that way in the past, so I did. With my thumb, I felt the slightly thick banknote in my pocket, and I gently brought it out. To my amazement, it was a 1000 Naira note ($2). I let out a scream of joy uncontrollably which led to about 30 seconds of awkward silence as everyone was staring at me. I still can't remember how I forgot it there till this day but boy was I happy. That was how I survived that week all thanks to the mysterious 1000 Naira banknote.
The close deadlines
This happened due to procrastination. It almost cost me my college admission. I was done with high school and had applied to a prestigious college in my country, the University of First choice, they called it (or so I thought).
We were supposed to upload some of our credentials online to be eligible to take the school exams for admission (the Post UTME). I had planned to do it earlier but kept on postponing it.
On this day, my mother had sent me on an errand to go to the market, after much persuasion I agreed. It is not that I don't like running errands for my parents, I was raised well, but when you have to do it all the time without so much of a break you just want to revolt (or it's probably all the teenagers hormones doing the talking).
As I dragged my feet to the market, right by a stall, I heard a woman talking to someone on the phone. I know it's good to mind your business but when she mentioned the name of my school to the person at the other end of the line, it got my attention.
"The portal is closing tonight, I hope your daughter has uploaded her result"
That was when I remembered what I had postponed. I ran back home from the market and I do not mean that figuratively. I dropped the things I bought in the kitchen. Grabbed my file which contained all my credentials and rush down to a Cyber-Cafe close by. I was able to submit it in the nick of time.
It was a close one, I didn't tell my parents about how I almost missed the deadline because I know just how many insults I would get as well as scolding because they kept on reminding me.
Closing thoughts
I first saw the word "Serendipity" in @meitanteikudo article and I fell in love with the word but after reading @JonicaBradley submission on this prompt it motivated me to share some of my experiences which in my defense I would call them "Serendipitous"
This wasn't my original article on the prompt "Serendipity" by the #PromptFactory, I had another article in mind when I discovered this would go very well with this topic, so I made a few changes, and voila, you have this.
Regardless of how you define "Serendipity", either by luck or by destiny, it doesn't change the fact that such experiences make you feel really happy and that is what matters.
This is my submission on the prompt "Serendipity" by the prompt factory, if you wish to be a part of it, you can. Publish an original article and submit it to the #PromptFactory
References
15 Accidental Inventions You Can't Imagine Your Life Without
SUperb article! Thank you for doing this. And yes! Finding surprise money on washed pants is surely a pleasant surprise. My grandma used to love washing my pants because I usually forget $2 or $10 worth of bills in them. But now,, not so much cause all of my assets are intangible.