You Can Call it Kismet or You Can Call it Karma

This falls under the heading not of "wishful thinking" but rather, more optimistically "planning with intention".  You know the whole Oprah thing - put your intentions out to the universe and through magic, willpower, or the mysteries of "The Secret" your intentions become realized?  I know, I know, it sounds all hokus-pokus-ish, but I promise you it isn't! 

So, last night, the one whom I adore and I were discussing the upcoming lottery draw and once again dreaming of all the things we would do when we win.  These include many things, not the least of which is sharing with some people that are pretty important to us.  But they also include things like spending 6 months of the year traveling (you know, Canada's off season) while the other 6 months would be spent lounging about our lakeside cottage in the Muskokas.  I would write the Great Canadian Novel (or at least a cookbook) and the one whom I adore would perfect his golf game.  Oh, throw in donations to the charities I currently volunteer for and of course some major liposuction for my ass, and you see, we're well on the way to happily ever after.

You might think I'm joking, but we have already had plenty of experience with putting our intentions out there and having them miraculously come true.  I'm not kidding.   Really I'm not!  I submit to you Exhibit A:

• In the summer of 2005 I was returning home to Vancouver from a wonderful vacation in Ontario at the cottage of my oldest friend.   Through my own bad planning I had missed my original flight where I had been booked in my customary aisle seat (because who can stand being stuck on the inside when you need to hit the lav.?).  Anyway, because I missed my original flight I went standby on the next available flight to Vancouver.  A seat became available, but not my customary aisle, only a window seat.  What are you gonna do when you HAVE to be back on the west coast for work the next day?  That's right people - suck it up and take the window seat.  As we're winging our way west, I sat looking out over the lakes of Northern Ontario and Manitoba and the prairies of Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta.  When our plane was right smack over the center of the Rocky Mountains I remember distinctly saying to myself - "I have to find a way to get back there - I miss those mountains".  Ladies and gentlemen, within a WEEK I had a phone call from someone with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts wanting to talk to me about going to work for their property in Jasper.  That's right, people.  Jasper, Alberta.  IN THE HEART OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES.  

Okay, so maybe it was a coincidence, but I tend to think not.  You see, I was the most unlikely of candidates to be recruited to go to work in such a senior position in a resort - I had never worked in a hotel before in my life!  So clearly, they were desperate.  But I tend to think of it as "intention" being fulfilled.

I know, I know - still probably very suspect.  Well then, I now present to you Exhibit B:

• Two years ago the one whom I adore and I were lounging about a cafe in Florence, Italy having just discovered the joys of cheese & honey, we decided we needed to figure out where our next move would be (professionally speaking).  We had already determined that it would be his career that would lead us to our next stop because, after all, there were so many things I could do with my marketing background that finding a job wouldn't be an issue for me (one of God's little jokes on me).  ANYWAY, as I enjoyed the last of my wine and he the last of his sparkling water, we compiled a list of places we would be happy to live and create our life together.  Right at the top of the list (and I mean at the tippy top, not just *near* the top, but the tippy-tippy top) was Atlantic Canada.  Knowing full well that both Fairmont & Delta Hotels had plenty of properties in the area, we thought it likely that some day something might come available in the region.  We were not home from Europe 2 whole months before a posting came available for Comptroller at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel.  KISMET, I SAY, KISMET!   One trip down east to interview, one other to buy a house and wham, bam, thank you KARMA, we are now Maritimers.

Still not a believer?  Well, I can understand that.  But how about THIS...I now present....drumroll please...Exhibit C:

• So, Fairmont did make me an offer and I did accept.  So I had moved from my fabulous world of the West End of Vancouver where I loved living, but hated my job, to the heart of the Canadian Rockies, and, for a city-girl like me, the middle of nowhere.  I had been living at and employed by the hotel for less then a week when I was making the rounds of each department, being introduced to key people, one of whom was the 2nd in command in the Accounting Dept.  I reached out to shake his hand and received a jolt of lightening up my arm.  I kid you not.  It was not static electricity.  It was a current of electricity shooting up my right arm.  The thought that went through my head as I released his hand:  I'm going to marry this man.  Now, ladies & gentlemen, I had NO idea if this person was single or married, straight or not.  I knew NOTHING about him other than I was going to marry him.  Yes, the hand I was shaking belonged to none other than the one whom I adore.  Oh sure, it took 6 months for him to figure out that I even existed (he refers to those as his stunned months), but hey, here I am, betrothed.   To him.  The one whom I adore.

So if that isn't evidence enough that putting your intentions "out there" can pay off  huge dividends, I don't know how else to convince you.  All I can say is:  we're winning the lottery.  It might not be this week's draw (but that would be nice) or even next week's draw.  But one day we'll win the lottery.  And then lookout world - we've got some BIG plans!