For many years, “serendipity” has been on my short list of favorite words. It’s sandwiched somewhere between “verisimilitude” and “phantasmagoria” but a few rungs down from “ultramarine.”
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, serendipity is happy coincidence, those moments when the universal powers-that-be decide to give you a break for once and things just happen to go your way.
Did the vending machine just spit out two sodas for the price of one? Well, frabjous day; you’re the lucky beneficiary of serendipity. Was your favorite episode of “Seinfeld” playing as you tucked into a big salad and a Drake’s coffee cake? Serendipity.
I bring up the topic not just because I love the word itself, but be cause the instances of serendipity in my life tend to be music-related.
I’m a firm believer that there’s a perfect song for every moment. In an effort to make their songs relatable, many songwriters say they seek out the universal truths in their own experiences. That tends to result in a lot of “I’ve totally been there” moments for listeners.