Synchronicity

I have yet to write about the biggest change affecting my entire life in the upcoming months and years. I avoid things I don't want to face ... in a big way.

Background: For as long as I've known her, one of my dearest friends B has talked about an author named Stephenie Meyer. To say that B is a fan of Meyer's books is way beyond an understatement. She even flew to Atlanta to attend a Meyer book-signing. That's dedication. I've never really inquired much about the author because these days my free reading time is pretty much limited to reading stuff that's been piling up on my own personal "To read" list. Taking the opportunity to read any suggestions from others is pretty much out of the question ... until yesterday. B talked me into reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

More background: Ty will be stationed and working for the next two years in a very remote part of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The main "towns" (I use that term very loosely) he'll be stomping around are Forks, Joyce, and La Push -- where the Coast Guard station is located. I've been very resentful and hurt about the entire situation, to the extent that whenever I even see a map of the U.S., like on the national weather or something, I won't even look up at the Pacific Northwest. In my mind, it's taking him away from us.

Now, on with the synchronicity part. I began reading Twilight last night. On the very first page of the prologue, there is was -- Forks, Washington. How's that for facing your demons head-on? I keep reading. Next up, page 6 -- La Push, Washington ("'Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?' La Push is the tiny Indian reservation on the coast."). WOW. Basically, the only things in La Push are the Coast Guard station and the Indian reservation. A million cliches pop into my mind, such as "Fate can be cruel," and "God has a great sense of humor."

I pretty much had to close the book at that point and take a few deep breaths. Like I told Becky this morning, I bet if you polled 1 million people, Coast Guard members excluded, and asked them if they'd ever heard of La Push, Washington, two of them, at best, would be able to answer in the affirmative. And here I am reading about it in my friend's favorite book.

I feel (and it's an over whelming feeling) like this was supposed to happen -- like I was supposed to read THIS book at THIS time in my life. If I'd read it a year ago, it would've just been another book. I know that life is full of coincidences, but this is different. I don't know why, and I can't explain the feeling. But I think I'm going to learn some things about myself along the way -- another big understatement. Should be an interesting read.