Serendipity: Have you experienced it?

"Serendipity" is the effect by which one accidentally stumbles upon something truly wonderful especially while looking for something entirely unrelated.

You are going through your old clothes dumped somewhere in the closet and while going through the pocket of your age old jeans you suddenly find a note of Rs.500 and voila! you are pleasantly surprised to discover this very much your own but forgotten treasure this is called as Serendipity. Many times we come across such moments when we are looking for something very badly and suddenly you discover some thing lying in the corner but it gives you immense satisfaction.

It need not be only money, even an old photograph of yours from the childhood you find in a drawer of your desk which you were going to clean up today. This treasure is an accidental discovery but gives so much happiness in life. It is also possible that we meet an old friend out of the blue while waiting at a bus stand or a railway station or an airport lounge and you were busy in something on your mobile phone and there it comes as a surprise when you hear that familiar voice" Hello" after ages and we are like "Oh My God" what on earth are you doing here?" This is an 'serendipitous' moment of the day for you.

I know some friend who discovered his would be spouse like this while waiting at a bar for some friend and this girl smiles casually and they get talking and then get a drink together while the friend arrives and they get introduced to each other and then this relationship develops into dating and finally the two becoming life partners by getting married.

It was William Boyd who coined a phrase "zemblanity" which is quite opposite of Serendipity which means, making an unlucky, inauspicious or unwanted discovery of some things which gives you shocks or not so pleasant moments. Like if your car is broken down on a lonely road and one of your old rivals passes by stops the car and calls you out " Hey, Man are you still hanging on the road?" and drives off without even asking do you need some help this is zemblanity when the guy just takes great pleasure teasing you stranded on the road.

They say that the "Seventeenth Law of the Universe" is The Law of Serendipity which states that the "Universe bends in our direction by providing us with seemingly accidental and unexpected fortuitous circumstances which we call good luck". Modern management guru's have changed this law into the "law of attraction" that we get attracted by the opposite in the most uncalled for circumstances.

In German language there is a term called 'schadenfreude' or 'fremdscham', or the “vicarious embarrassment syndrome”. This means essentially, people who have this syndrome tend to feel embarrassment for someone else's misfortune. Like you are at a party well dressed and impressing every one with your finely cut suit and the bartender by mistakes suddenly spills the cocktail on your suit and you don't know where to look. This moment is 'Schadenfreude'.

In our lives we do come across such rewarding or embarrassing moments but we have to live with it and be happy with whatever you have been served on your plate.Good Luck!@