A few months ago hubby and I went to a gig. Nothing unusual in that, except that it was during the day and in a venue we’d never been to before. The venue was seated, and we secured a couple of seats at a round table. After a short time, a girl asked if she could put her drink on our table. She was with a couple and, as there was plenty of room, so we suggested they share the table with us. They readily agreed and we began chatting, initially mostly about music. It transpired one of the girls works with a friend of ours who plays in a local band and has been a fantastic support to our annual Macmillan fundraising gig. It also transpired that her husband, who was the male in their group, had a brain tumour! Of all the tables, in all the venues……. Like us, they were living life and remaining positive about the future. We enjoyed their company and my fellow brain tumour patient and I even enjoyed a wee dance as our partners laughed from the sidelines! It’d been a while since I’d had a wee serendipitous meeting…..
Fast forward to this evening. This is our final night in Barcelona after a short break. We went out for a meal and, on our way back to the hotel, stopped off at a bar so hubby could enjoy a few beers. There was one table left outside. As we made our way over to it a lone man did the same thing. We laughed as the three of us reached the much sought after table at the same moment. The man was meeting a friend, but the table was for four so we decided to share it. He was English so inevitably we began to chat.
At first we made small talk about the hot weather and the city etc. Then we began talking about why we were all in Barcelona. He told us about how he’d moved here, after a life threatening injury cut short his career as a professional athlete. We were interested in hearing his story and he gladly told it……. In short, he’d moved to LA to further his post athletic career. Whilst there he’d been hit by a car when out riding his bicycle. He suffered a serious brain injury and was in a coma for 2 months. During this time his insurance company had him moved back to England to undergo further recuperative treatment (cheaper!)
As this stranger described some of what he had experienced through traumatic brain injury, hubby and I were struck by the similarities to our story……
He described his determination to, not just survive his injury, but also to get his life back. To rebuild his neuro pathways. To return as much to his old self as he could. He remembered with gratitude those who had helped him on his journey, and described how his life has changed.
He told stories so similar to some I tell that, in truth, both hubby and I were a little freaked out! He talked about a world famous musician who he believed had helped him on his journey, and about a premonition he’d had about him ending up living in Catalonia. In turn, I regaled stories of Billy Joel saving my life and my (somewhat less significant) premonition dream about meeting Neil Finn and discussing the reformation of Crowded House!
We compared our ongoing ‘quirks’, including frustrations over short term memory loss, having to concentrate so much harder than we used to and our recognition of what and who is important in our lives. The similarities in our experiences, determination not to be beaten, and beliefs, was striking.
Yet again I know some would call it coincidence, others would relate it to a higher being/ religion, or to karma and the belief that everything happens for a reason. Me? I still don’t know…… I have to reject the former due to the number of times this type of thing has happened over the last five and a half years. My favoured position is the latter….. energies and destiny. Karma bringing kindred spirits together.
Or magnets in our brains?? Maybe!!
