Tags
Animals, Art, Inspiration, lore, Myth and Legends, Quests, religion, Serendipity, Unicorns
Serendipity is not a word I am prone to using. Actually, I think it was ruined for me by Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack back in 2001, but my general disdain for most modern romantic comedies is not the subject here.
Here I am talking about that inexplicable confluence of events which, in today’s case, led me to an answer I’ve been looking for, quite literally, for years.
Long ago, I was writing a book about Unicorns. In my research, I came across a marvelous painting on the Inter-webs, which was listed only as “Dark Forest.”
Dark Forest
I spent hours on and off through the years trying to find out who painted this remarkably singular image of a Unicorn, to no avail.
Then today…out of the blue…
I was doing a little X-word editing and, in the quest of an interesting clue, was researching the Garden of Eden on the Internet. And there, on Wikipedia of all places, was this marvelous painting by a 16th-century Germain painter, Lucas Cranach der Altere.
Not the painting one would expect to be used to illustrate such an iconic place, but I was not disappointed. There in the the lower right of this layered Paradise, apres la chute, are the wild and wondrous beings of the Dark Forest. In one serendipitous moment, a quest, long-tucked to the back of my mind, came to a glorious end. (Though, personally, I wonder why there are no Dragons in Eden.)
How has chance, happenstance, mere accident–serendipity–impacted your lives? Love to hear from you all….
I’m so glad you found the painting! I know we talked about it before. Hmmm…serendipity in my life. Well, I met you. Twas the Dragon brought us together, I believe – your love of them and my love of them and my Welsh ancestry. And now look! Trusted friends and a set of kick-butt editors. On another note, sometimes a great disappointment leads us to find other venues for our work, and that’s what has happened to me in the last two weeks. If I hadn’t been bummed out about one event, I would never have gone looking for new blogging love! And I have made two new, fabulous blogging buddies. It was certainly serendipity when my son met his to-be wife during basic training. Out of hundreds of possibilities, they met at guidon practice, and now they are married 11 years with two wonderful boys. Is that serendipity or just good timing or what the universe has planned for us?
That’s so true–we did talk about this painting. Way back when.
Wonderful serendipity all around. It is amazing how the universe unfolds. Constantly makes me go, “Wow!”
Love this post…I also like the much misinterpreted term, synchronicity, which is a ‘meaningful coincidence in time’.
Thanks, Niamh. Yes–synchronicity–I am, as a rule, better disposed towards it than serendipity, but it has been much maligned and misused…
Jung might turn in his grave!
Definitely this is “serendipity” at work, a casual happenstance with a happy outcome. Lucas Cranach the Elder was known for a lot of darker works but this is a happier little grouping. I call what happens to me “synchronicites” because they a weirdly constant in my life…and seem to bear some deeper subconscious meanings. I was even keeping a special journal for such occurrences but they started to happen so often I could not keep up with them.
Anyway, according to the Bible, there was indeed a dragon living in the garden. A “serpent” who was the most wise and crafty of all animals, which also had feet, however when it tempted Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit, he was caused to become a common, legless snake. of course the New Testament calls this one Satan and the Old Devil himself! Not usually portrayed in Christian Art unless it’s Adam and Eve and the Serpent in the Garden.
How delightful you are blessed with synchronicities! They have a way of tipping life on its axis and reminding us of the interconnectedness of so much.
Yes, the Dragon, wisest of all creatures! The Gnostics knew his place in Eden better, I believe, than many. Still, logic dictates that, if all creatures in the world were residents of the Garden, there ought to be some sort of dragon about. Even if it’s just a wyvern flying over head. (hey, a dracophile can always live in hope.
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i feel that serendipity is an adventure we are not aware that we are on until a surprise or surprises happen and the purpose of the adventure is revealed to us. it may be in the guise of a painting that one has had living in the back of their mind. Or meeting of people one had no idea about but because of serendipity and the blindness and randomness of adventures there are the ones before you at different times of your life who are meant to touch your world. as you know shawn serendipity is one of my favorite words for it holds such magical possibilities of newness springing forth eternal. the muse leads me on a serendipitous experience everytime i put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. How she carefully and sometimes wildly opens my mind to creative discoveries that the moment before that moment did not exist in my awareness and possibly anyone elses.all the magical stories that are invented in our dreams then serendipitously revealed as the muse guides us through our subconscious to reveal the symbols and eventual interpretations which give meaning to all our endeavors creative or otherwise. love is quite the serendipitous discovery. Serendipity leads us to love. it is up to us to recognize that is what lies before us. to have the incite to realize that the fairies and muses are filled with overflowing serendipity. and are we not greatful for that.
Nicely said, Secret Keeper. Thank you for sharing….