Coincidence or the Universe at Play?

How often have you experienced coincidences in your life? Or are you a person who believes stuff just happens? I can’t say I land solidly on either side of the equation. I often am in awe of the seemingly unconnected pieces of information that comes together at about the right time for something I need to happen.

Sometimes it’s just people coming into your life at the right time. I’ve experienced that frequently over the last several months. Someone who just seemed to pop up and over time I get to know better only to discover that person is carrying knowledge that I can greatly benefit from.

Some wonderful friendship has developed out of coincidental meetings. So no matter how they happen, I’ll always be thankful for them.

Is it just coincidence or is it meant to be?

I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure. In the meantime, there has been a lot of discussion in scientific and religious circles. Scientists often argue that coincidences are nothing more than the laws of probability at play.

You meet enough people, you will make meaningful connections. Religious people will often argue that those coincidences are divine providence. That an all knowing creator will place you where you need to be at the right time.

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung theorized that coincidences occur because of what he called “synchronicity” which he defined as a ‘casual connecting principle’. Many over the years have taken an interest in compiling accounts of coincidences like American Charles Hay Fort who compiled data on phenomena for which science could not account for.

He visited libraries in New York and London pouring over scientific journals, newspapers and magazines from which he collected notes on phenomena not explained well by the accepted theories and beliefs of the time. In a short story he had published he used his data collecting techniques to solve a mystery. He suggested that unrelated bits of information were actually related.

More than once over the years, Fort would get depressed and destroy his notes then would start over. Many believed that Fort took very few of his theories seriously. Although few had respect for his writing styles, they certainly found his collection of data of value.

Several well known science fiction writers have been influenced by that data and Fort’s ideas like Stephen King, Philip K. Dick and Robert Heinlein. So it seems some of our science fiction owes its existence to people being interested in coincidence.

Or is that just a coincidence?