Yesterday at work, we were doing a team-building exercise that involved reviewing a list of animals and descriptions of their main characteristics, and selecting the animal that we felt most closely described us. The list was long so I scanned down the characteristics without paying attention to the animals they were listed with. One listing jumped out at me: "Scrutiny, order, organizer, and an eye for details." I immediately knew that this would be my choice to describe myself, particularly in a work setting. Then I looked over at the animal these words were listed with. It was a mouse.
I don't normally place stock in stuff like that, and in my head I know that it was just an irrelevant, random coincidence. But somehow it feels... serendipitous.
I miss him.
It's nice when random coincidences give us good reminders of people we love. So sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really sweet post, Jess. I'm glad you have fond memories to think back on.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very heartfelt post. I don't think that things like that are a coincidence at all.
ReplyDeleteThe death of a loved one always stings but luckily we get these small reminders of their love throughout our lives that we can rejoice in.
ReplyDeleteMy great grandmother died when I was 9 and while she was in her 80s almost my entire life she was an amazing woman who made a deep and lasting impression on me. Every time I make her banana bread from her handwritten recipe I warms my heart.
What a lovely thing to happen, I think those things happen to remind us that our loved ones are still there despite not being able to see them.
ReplyDeleteHugs. I love those little signs. I always tend to think that they're from the person I'm missing, just saying "hi."
ReplyDeleteYour uncle sounds like he was a very sweet man. I don't think that things like that are always a coincidence. I'm with bessieviola, I also tend to see them as moments when our loved ones are saying hi.
ReplyDeleteAwww. It's kind of neat the little things that stick in our minds and our memories, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI like that picture too.
I find it coincidental? amazing? that the year of your birth led to a nickname whose characteristics you embody as an adult (and maybe also as a child). The world works in funny ways.
ReplyDeleteaww. ((hug))
ReplyDeleteSo sweet. I love it when things like this happen. Well, really, I guess I like it when we can be coherent enough to REALIZE when things like this happen.
ReplyDeleteYour uncle seems like he was amazing. I think anyone who holds a dog like that for a picture has to be amazing.
So sweet. He sounds like a very nice uncle.
ReplyDeleteAww, what a sweet moment. I love little reminders of my loved ones. Sorry you lost your uncle; my uncle's partner (Jean-Guy, he was french) died from Cancer (he also had AIDS) when I was 10, and he was like an uncle to me. I still miss him as well.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle had a crazy thing happen to him a couple of years ago. He was up at a cottage, and he was dreaming one night that Jean-Guy was looking for a plastic fork and my uncle couldn't find one. When he woke up, he was thinking about how random the dream was, as he took his dogs out. He happened to glance down at the gravel driveway, and there was a plastic fork next to his foot. He's sure it was a sign from Jean-Guy!
I refer to moments such as these as grace. I am glad you have it in your life.
ReplyDeleteIn moments like those, I like to think my loved one wanted me to know he/she was present and still with me in my life. I think they're a gift and I'm so sorry you didn't get to spend more time with your uncle. He sounds fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily think that there's some big cosmic force, but I think there's a reason for these moments.
ReplyDeleteThat's very sweet. I'm sorry for your loss but when you have a special moment like that to remember them it's never just coincidence.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice and sweet link to your past and someone who meant so much to you.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, my parents and German grandparents used to call me Bing[real name]-mouse because I always carried this mouse puppet around with me.
So, so sweet. And just like Allie said in the very first comment, it is so nice when we get those pleasant reminders of lost loved ones, or any loved ones for that matter. Keep him close to your heart. :-)
ReplyDeleteSometimes (at least for me) I like being reminded that I miss my dad. Even though I get sad, little things like that cheer me up.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in coincidences.. Everything always happens for a reason, and everything has a purpose. Maybe there's a God-like higher power guiding everything, or something in the cosmos just organises our lives, but it all fits in nicely and neatly...
ReplyDeleteOr maybe your sweet uncle just knew you a bit better than you thought!
xx
I love when that happens. I've written about when this has happened with incidents involving my long-deceased grandma. (One was called "What You Miss" in my greatest hits collection if you would like to read.) I don't yet really know what I believe about the afterlife, but I do feel like these things are not just coincidences.
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I were eating Chinese at our favorite resturaunt - she said, "What was your Chinese zodiac sign again?"
ReplyDeleteTo which I replied (with some resignation), "I'm a cock." WHY can't they just say chicken? Or rooster? REALLY!
And she laughed and said, "I know. I just wanted to hear you say it."
I don't believe in that stuff either, but it's eerie how some things can be so dead-on.
What a great resource!
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