random thoughts – Day 1,354 – (Friday) – the universe?

There is a belief system where if you want something, you think it or say it out loud and the universe will make it happen. The flip side involves focusing on what you don’t want to happen and that happening. Basically, you get what you focus on. I have lived both sides of this magical coin.

A long time ago in Worcester, I had a great apartment and my dream job as a staff writer. I worked in a historic building a block away from an outlet mall with great stores (like Ann Taylor) where I often went shopping on my lunch hour and found great sales. One work day I went out to pick up something for lunch. I was wearing new pants, recently acquired from the nearby outlet mall.

As I crossed the street, sandwich in a bag and bottled drink in hand, I thought “Watch me trip and ruin my new pants,” and I kid you not, that is exactly what happened. I tripped on the curb, my bottle of iced tea rolled down the gutter, my knee hit the sidewalk, and my new black pinstripe pants had a big scuff mark and my knee had a new bloody bruise. It was shocking in its immediacy. It was mere seconds between the thought and the result and I was pissed and crushed and fully aware that my thought had led to an immediate effect. And my new pants were ruined. Universe?

Today was another one of those days, but where the result was significantly more favorable.

I was at a midday event at the Brush Art Gallery and Studios and someone asked if I would be at an event tonight at the Whistler House Museum, site of the birthplace of world-renowned artist James McNeill Whistler. You might know his mother. She’s kind of famous.

I said, “no, but I wish I was going.” When I returned to the office an hour later, the first email I saw was a message asking if I could attend the event at Whistler House in place of a colleague who could not attend. Holy crap. Of course, my answer was absolutely yes. Duh. Did I not just say this out loud, a mere two blocks away an hour ago?

The event has a color theme each year and this year, it was red and black. I had an outfit in mind before I even knew I was going so it was really easy when I bolted home from work to change. There was even a plan B, in case Plan A didn’t fit.

I arrived home at 5:20 and headed to the closet. By 5:50, I was headed out again, dressed in Plan A – red pants with a black lace overlay, a red camisole under a black mesh top with sequin stripes, and a red beaded necklace.

Shortly after 6:00 I was circling the block for parking and a few minutes later, was inside at the event. There were colleagues, a former colleague, and fellow board members from The Brush in attendance.

Whistler House Museum.

There were interesting conversations with people I knew and those I hadn't met until tonight. There was a good amount of time chatting with a textile artist and soon a painter originally from Scotland entered the conversation to compliment my new acquaintance on her red beret. It turned out they had a mutual friend, another textile artist located in a different part of the state and currently in France. It really felt like they were supposed to meet each other, and with any luck, we will all see each other again at two art receptions on Saturday. That’s the unofficial plan anyway. And the whole thing was perfect. 

Whistler House.

The entire night had the magical qualities of introductions and conversations that seemed destined to happen. I met people who are good friends of the head of my department at work, and had fun conversations with people about photography and paintings and how Lowell is misunderstood outside the city limits and often maligned by people who have never bothered to visit the place. And I choose to think the universe tossed us all together to have a fabulous night of connections and community.

All of this happened in the beautiful home where James MacNeil Whistler was born which is always filled with beautiful artwork and currently hosts a magnificent Christmas tree and elegant decorations.  It was the best night in ages. Five stars. Highly recommend.