When My Daughter Starts Philosophizing


My 12-year old daughter raised a question while I was nursing a hangover one Saturday morning. "Tatay, what does synchronicity means?" 
I stammered for words understandable enough to her curious young mind. Here is my answer:
Late in 2009, I was finalizing the idea of constructing a blog to be called "By the Jal-o River'.  That title is based on a favorite psalm of mine which begins with this word, “By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept.” I prepared the design of the header in MS Publisher as I was ignorant then of Adobe Photoshop. Hereunder was that design.



Last year, however, a friend based from down under sent me a copy of a book by Paulo Coelho. The title of the book was, “By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept.” I was amused. But what took my breath away and paused to consider this "meaningful coincidence" (Karl Jung’s) are the similarity of the characters' circumstances with my own "personal legend" (Paulo Coelho's).  

 My daughter went away, looking satisfied and thoughtful. As for myself, I did some menial work in the orchard so as to force the alcohol out of my body. Late in the afternoon of that cloudy day though, I found myself still nursing such a terrible headache. Terrible Matador Brandy, I should say. 

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