Amazing Coincidence

It was 'amazing coincidence' to me.

Last week at the Kaiserslautern American High School (K-town)reunion in Salt Lake City Utah, some of us remembered our good buddy, Don McGhay. We shared memories of our time with him. They guys remembered him on the football and baseball field. Guys in the dorm remembered him, and those of us who lived in another town and rode the bus to school on Sun and back on Friday, remembered him in so many ways. He was voted most popular boy in the Sr. class. He was my best buddy, and if I'd had my way, he would have been my sweetheart.

Came back from the reunion to TN on Sat. Monday, Nancy--another buddy from K-Town and I were in N.C., and were invited for wine time at friends of hers in the neighborhood. It was a delightful time. We chatted about the reunion trip, I learned about them, Norm was from West VA.--a retired football coach. Joy from Phila., retired teacher.

Chat, chat, talk, talk and soon we were getting ready to leave. Norm mentioned his grandson plays Lacrosse. Maybe it was because we had talked about Don at the reunion, but instead of mentioning that I kid sit for a family where two of the girls play Lacrosse, I mentioned that Don had coached in MD.

"Was he at the reunion?" Norm asked.

"No." I replied. "He died very young of Alzheimer's."

"Oh my God!" Norm and Joy said in unison. "Was he Don McGhay?" Neither Nancy or I had mentioned anything about Don as we'd been chatting.

Turns out it was Don McGhay. Turns out Norm and Joy's son played Lacrosse for Don. I mentioned how Don's wife Ellen, had kept me posted about Don's illness and eventual death and how touched I was that she did that.

Turns out Ellen eventually married Don's best friend who is Godfather to Norm and Joy's son.

From K-town in Germany--to a reunion in Utah--to sipping wine in N.C. Small world--coincidence--! I'm still shaking my head in wonder at the connection.

Comments: 23

lena k. May 25, 2011, 10:06am UTC

nice

M. Bradley McCauley May 26, 2011, 12:19pm UTC

It still fascinates me

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joseph k. May 25, 2011, 10:10am UTC

cool

M. Bradley McCauley May 26, 2011, 12:21pm UTC

It is. Another interesting and amazing coincidence is in comments below.

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Jan S. May 25, 2011, 4:45pm UTC

This is amazing! Considering the distance and small number of classmates, it's truly remarkable.

M. Bradley McCauley May 26, 2011, 12:23pm UTC

I'n still stunned. Read the comment below from JRB. That's amazing too

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Franklin Newman May 25, 2011, 8:49pm UTC

Humans can connect with many people on many levels.

M. Bradley McCauley May 26, 2011, 12:25pm UTC

Not just humans--I also believe in Spiritual connections.

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Jean R B. May 26, 2011, 4:25am UTC

It happens. My girlfriend and I were in a small town in Italy, a man came over to us. He said to Irene, "Don't you remember me?" It turned out that when he was in America, he had stopped in her coffee shop. He was hungry and didn't have enough money. She fed him. He took us all around town showing us what to see and where to go.

M. Bradley McCauley May 26, 2011, 12:24pm UTC

Oh my---that is truly amazing. But then, when you believe as I do that we are all connected by the universal energy emanating from our Creator, nothing is surprising or coincidental.

Jan S. May 26, 2011, 4:50pm UTC

How wonderful! I agree with Mary. What we call coincidence is truly a universal energy that attracts and connects us all. I believe that it's rare that we get to see the fruits of our actions in the way that you and Irene did. It's quite a special gift.

M. Bradley McCauley May 27, 2011, 2:07pm UTC

Sometimes we are brought together to learn lessons about life....perhaps a brief encounter, we learned the lesson quickly. A longer relationship could indicate a slower learning period. Maybe, if we have more than one lifetime, we meet again and again perfecting our karma.

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Angela A. May 26, 2011, 12:36pm UTC

Odd how life works out.

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Dennis Gilman May 26, 2011, 3:31pm UTC

Fascinating

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stephen berwaldt May 26, 2011, 8:23pm UTC

It is, indeed, a smaller world than we know...a lovely glimpse at the unlikely events that surprise and amaze us all at one time or another.
I had a friend...my best friend during school years. We both started in North Tonawanda, New York. We went to school together, born two days apart. Our mothers were in the maternity ward together...he and I studied drafting and architecture together. We parted company...he went on his way and I went mine. I went to Canada...got married to a girl from Boston. He went to California. Never spoke for 10 years, and we eventually moved to Boston. I enrolled in architecture school. I was homesick one day and phoned his parents to see where he had ended up. They told me he was n Boston, going to architectures school there. The same school as I was going to, as it turned out. We reconnected. He met a beautiful Iranian girl and they decided to get married. They invited us to the wedding, and he and I showed up wearing the same...THE SAME...Armani suit. I believe some people are tied together, like binary stars...caught in each other's gravity all through life. Your story doesnt surprise me. Nothing surprises me anymore.

Thank you for posting to The Triple Name Club.

M. Bradley McCauley May 27, 2011, 1:00pm UTC

I agree--some souls are tied together in lifetimes. Ever meet someone you've not met before and instantly feel a bond to them? Ever feel love or anger for someone and don't know why? If I were to venture a 'non professional' past life regression psychic thought, you and your friend were brothers during the Civil War. His name was Anthony, yours, Gerard. Seven years between you--as the older one you went off to fight---he stayed home but was killed by the enemy when trying to protect the family home. You also knew each others as monks in an Italian monastery in the early 1700s. Namaste

stephen berwaldt May 29, 2011, 1:30am UTC

Gerard, Huh? Well Gerard just accepted you friendship offer. He's be crazy not to. A person is defined by his or her friends. I feel better already. :)

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