There Are No Accidents

From "There Are No Accidents." Used by permission.

In many of the stories concerning synchronicity and work that I have been privileged to hear, many of the people I talked to had fully intended to proceed in one direction professionally when a synchronistic event derailed them, leading them mysteriously into an entirely different line of work altogether. In response to the question, "How do I work with synchronicity?" I extend the apparently paradoxical advice to "expect the unexpected."

A singer I'll call Elise told me the story of her big break. Like most professional singers, Elise had spent much of her life in voice, acting and movement classes, all at her own expense and with the full knowledge that the possibility of earning a decent living from performing was a gamble against poor odds. Like artists in any field, though, she did what she did because she loved it, despite the difficulties, frustrations and uncertainties.

Because she was classically trained as an opera singer, her interest in appearing in musical comedy productions was not especially strong, though her coach and colleagues had often urged her to try out for such roles, given her sparkling, naturally comic personality and the remarkable versatility of her voice. But, in spite of such advice, Elise resisted their encouragement and continued trying to break into the very small and highly competitive world of opera, going to audition after audition with middling success, landing a small part here and there in local companies, while working her day job to pay the rent.

For a small but well-regarded opera company's production of a popular opera, Elise spent a good month polishing her audition aria and, when scheduling the try-out, had specifically requested one of the last audition appointments, knowing she sounded better later in the day. When she arrived at the community center where the auditions were being held, however, it was immediately clear from the deserted air that a mistake had been made. Anxiously approaching a woman who seemed to be an assistant and who was in the process of packing up her papers at the end of the hall where "Auditions" were indicated, Elise said with as much self-control as possible, "Don't tell me auditions are over. I had a five o'clock appointment."

The woman seemed taken aback. "Actually, they are," she said, "but the committee hasn't left. Let me see if they'll hear you."

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