Happy Sacred Sunday!
Today I’m thinking about living in the magic and enjoying the synchronicities, and I just can’t wait to share this story with you.
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this post with my friend, Bruce Turkel.
Bruce and I have a tradition of having lunch every year on his birthday to celebrate both of our birthdays (Mine is on the 8th and his is on the 14th).
But besides that special celebration, we have lunch together pretty regularly. We always eat at the same restaurant and order the same meal. Over the years, it’s become “our” thing.
As I drove to our lunch date, I thought about this month’s Different December theme:
Can I show up differently today even though everything is the same?
Right then, that internal question became an intention — to make this birthday lunch extra special for Bruce and making it all about him (no pun intended
)
Upon arriving, my first question after the happy birthday wishes and hugs was: “How old do you turn today?”
“66!” Bruce smiled.
“OMG, Bruce! This is a double-digit year for you, just like for me. I turned 44!”
“And we are exactly 22 years apart,” he pointed out.
Knowing how he’d respond, I laughingly said, “I bet if we looked up the numerology, those numbers would be very meaningful.”
And as if on cue, he replied, “And you’d believe their meaning and I would not.”
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT
If you’ve been around here long enough, you may have read about my father’s take on “critical thinkers” and “magical thinkers.” Bruce and my dad shared their agnostic beliefs — and for a long time — I did, too.
The problem is that my life has been full of magical “mysteries, which have multiplied upon the death of my father. Eventually, I owned the reality that, although I consider myself a critical thinker, I believe in “magic,” too.
This is now a running joke between Bruce and me so the numerology banter was par for the course.
THE MOMENTUM FROM AN INTENTION
There is something powerful about intentions. I have noticed it, not only in my life, but in my clients’ lives. When you enter a situation having have set an intention, even with minimal effort, the intention catches momentum.
The “double-digit birthdays” sparked a light-hearted and fun energy which transcended into deep and meaningful conversations.
THE UNIVERSE DOESN’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK
Even though the conversation went in a bit of a different direction than our usual lunches, it still felt very familiar and ritualistic. I ordered the red curry beef as I usually do and Bruce the usual salmon. But right before the bill came, I reminded Bruce to order an espresso. He didn’t remember ever having an espresso at this restaurant, but I was pretty sure he’d ordered it last time. We added it after the fact, so the server took the bill, adjusted it and brought it back.
We’d had a brief debate over who was going to pay the tab because I always pay on Bruce’s birthday, but he suggested paying in honor of Different December.
As Bruce grabbed the check holder, a smile flashed across his face. Before I could swipe it from him, he said, “Oh, now you’re really going to want to pay. Guess what the total due is?”
“$66! …
$44! …
$22…”
Bruce kept me going until I guessed the exact amount.
The bill was for $44.44 
Of course it was! It was my turn to pay, I just turned 44 years old, and the double-digits were the dominant theme of our lunch!
The synchronicity was perfect for Different December!
With wide eyes and a dropped jaw, I prodded.”Bruce, we always order the same meal and the tab has never been $44.44!”
“Yes, but you ordered the espresso!” Bruce said, but the smile on his face told me he, too, was enjoying the magic of this moment.
To quote our mutual friend and coach, Susan Ford Collins, I emphasized, “You see, Bruce, the Universe doesn’t care what you think!!!” (That’s what Susan always tells Bruce when he tells her he doesn’t believe in “the Universe.”)
To make our experience extra special, we tipped the waitress $22.22 so the final amount would be $66.66. She was thrilled with her 50% tip and we were happy to gift it to her during the holiday season.
Suddenly, our “usual” lunch became special, different, and one we’d never forget.
BECOME A MAGICAL PERCEIVER
What this story made me realize is that it doesn’t matter whether this was synchronicity or coincidence; it doesn’t matter whether we believe this was an act of God or completely random; all that matters is the spark of bliss we enjoyed because we got to live fully in its moment.
Today, on this Sacred Sunday, I want to offer this thought:
Rather than choosing between being a critical thinker or a magical thinker, what if you get to be a critical thinker and simultaneously a magical perceiver?
I promise you this, it’ll make all the difference in the world.
