I Don't Believe in Coincidence

Have you ever met someone and instantly loved them ... or hated them; or vice versa? If so, have you ever wondered why?

This has happened to me. Sometimes it's just nice for me to meet them. Sometimes it's not so nice -- there are no fuzzy feelings on either side when it's not so nice. Sometimes the not-so-nice-feelings emanating from that other person make me uncomfortable; sometimes they make me defiant and I decide not to go anywhere until we get it straightened out. 

I think this is all part of the message in that famous poem "A Reason, A Season or A Lifetime" that is so widely quoted. If you've never read it, watch the video below.

In my day job, I am always on the phone with clients. Some love me; some merely tolerate me. That's fine by me. 

In my personal life, I don't have any trouble starting conversations with random people. Hell, I'd talk to a tree if I thought it would talk back to me! And, every once in a while, some of those random conversations plant the seed for new friendships.

In my media life, I regularly talk with experts when doing research for whatever novel I'm working on and I'm conducting interviews all the time for my radio show. All of this I love doing because I am naturally curious about the human experience.

But it is rare for me to meet anyone who so moves me as to blog about it. This is one of those rare occasions. So, why? What is it about this/these person/people that's got me so charged? 

Well, here's the thing:

In this new era of virtual relationships/friendships, it is easy to hide behind a keyboard and create a persona; an image that will be appealing to an audience. Like I said, I like to meet people, but oftentimes, when I meet someone in real life after a virtual friendship, I am disappointed in what the reality is.

Yesterday was different.

For several years, I've had an ongoing virtual friendship with fellow Indie Author and NuYorican Edward Medina (click on his name for his FB page). Most recently we'd exchanged emails after the release of his short story AWILDA. He'd just released it, I'd just downloaded it and I wanted him on my Pink Diamond Inspirations Radio Show with All Media Radio. He agreed and said he was in the midst of moving back to NY from Florida and that we should plan on doing this interview in person once he arrived. 

Cool! I responded. But, honestly, I was a little bit concerned. I mean, I don't know this guy from a hole in the wall. Hello? Has anyone heard of catfish?? LOL!! Ok, that may be a little bit out there, but I DO write psychological thrillers, so you can't blame me! 

I don't believe in coincidence. Ed and I hit it off on Twitter when I first joined. Little did I know then that we had so much more in common than our heritage, the similarities in our upbringing and, in my case, a little old book -- his books are far from little old books. From the very beginning, I felt a kinship with him. This was a person who appeared to be very much like me. He came from where I came, looked like I did, wrote the way I wrote and he thought the way I did -- to wit, outside the proverbial box.

In any event, Ed, myself and his IT Goddess (I love that he calls her that!), Nate Hinkle met for brunch yesterday in the city. We broke bread, we chatted and drank mimosas. :) We had so much fun though there were moments where I could have cried -- but I sucked it up and kept it together. The bottom line is: I could not be happier to have met them both -- in person -- nor could I have been more inspired to continue on in what is now a multi-media journey that began with my writing.

Edward Medina and I 

Nate "Ed's IT Goddess" Hinkle and I

At one point I realized that I was sharing memories of me and my Dad and I wasn't crying; I was smiling!! Here it is two days before the 12th anniversary of the tragedy that was 9/11/01 and six days before the 8th anniversary of my Dad's passing and I'm not feeling sad even though those two dates have made me feel inconsolable and morose in the past. The fact that I had that realization while hanging out with these two beautiful souls will never be forgotten by me and that alone will be what binds us.

The three of us have founded a beautiful friendship and for me that is so, so important particularly in this day and age when anything can happen at any time. Stay tuned my friends. You're going to be seeing/hearing a lot from me about Mr. Medina and his IT Goddess, Nate :)  (Hover over their names for links to their twitter accounts and follow them!)

In closing, I ask you this: what girl can't use another girlfriend to do girly things with??

~~ML