Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Coincidentally...

Thinking again about synchronicity (time in sync) and how much satisfaction it gives when one notices these coincidences. I looked up the word, expecting a lengthy etymology going back to the Latin, and discovered that Carl Jung coined the word. Another example (for me) of synchronicity as I love Jung's theories in literary criticism - especially of archetypes and "the persona, shadow, and anima/animus" aspects of personality. Synchronicity may be "magical thinking," but how strange and fascinating these coincidences can be.

http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/jung.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity

I also love the idea of serendipity (a much older, if not ancient, word coined by Horace Walpole):

NOUN: pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties
The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
An instance of making such a discovery.

or "In general, serendipity is the act of finding something valuable or delightful when you are not looking for it."

1 comment:

Good to hear from you!