I must admit I’ve always been somewhat skeptical about this phenomenon (belief?) called the Law of Attraction, which states that when you really truly want something, the whole universe conspires to help you, supposedly because like attracts like.
Now, I’m not saying that I’m a total convert and evangelist, but I’m now indeed more open to the idea that positive thinking -- and preparation! -- could bring limitless possibilities into my life, having felt firsthand today the pleasant jolt of surprise when the very thing I’d been longing for materialized and literally just walked in the door.
The events leading up to this moment really began in May 2013, when I decided it was time to leave the life of an intelligencer behind. For ten years, I’d been an open source intelligence officer and later a “subject matter expert” independent contractor, responsible for certain military OSINT matters.
I’d been meaning to leave The Agency for quite some time, and I had my eyes set on a TV reporter job for a local Buddhist channel, thinking this would do me good, working to atone for my “sins.” Yes, I do get a bit dramatic at times, and I enjoy having or even creating such ostensibly ironic contradictions in life.
As fate would have it, though, I did not get that job, despite having a degree in telecommunication and some two years of experience as a wire service reporter. So, I went to Plan B, which was to teach small English classes and tutor one-on-one while I try to figure out what I really want to do.
Midlife crisis? You could say that. Or, as I like to think of it these days, it’s a phase of transitioning to a better me -- whatever that may be.
Fast forward to January 2014. I’m still looking for ways to become a happier, healthier, warmer, and more positive man. Yesterday, in search of a pacesetter to follow on this quest, I started reading a book by Gretchen Rubin titled The Happiness Project.
As I flipped through the pages, mental images began coming into focus, and I became keenly aware that I derive a great deal of pleasure from teaching and mentoring teenage students -- especially when tuition fees are not involved and the object does not entail acing tests.
What’s more, I realized that a particularly delightful period of my life was about a year ago when I still headed an after-school study group at Cianjhen Senior High School.
It was a voluntary effort on my part, in all senses of the word, and the adorable, eager students who shared their thoughts, fears, hopes, and experiences with me in that joyful exchange I still consider my good friends to this day, even though they are now off to college, and we rarely get the chance to see each other.
In an attempt to recapture that kind of warm, fuzzy feeling, I made up my mind to start a similar group this year, and no sooner had I finished writing down a list of things to teach and educational games to play than an opportunity walked in the door of my favorite Starbucks hideout and headed straight toward me.
A Cianjhen Senior High School student who sat beside me the previous day came looking for me, asking if I could practice conversational English with her and her friend simply because she overheard me speaking fluent English with another customer, and possibly also because I enthusiastically helped her friend look for a mysteriously disappearing pen, which led to a very short conversation later when they were about to leave for the night, regarding my brief stint as a club advisor at their school.
So, would I be interested? Naturally! Gladly! It turned out, too, that we have one friend in common -- a member of the previous study group!
Serendipity, perhaps? It was kismet. The Law of Attraction working its magic, manifested to this non-believer for the very first time. Whether it was simply coincidence or the benevolent intervention of a higher power in the universe, I’m grateful.
This promises to be a very good year.
