Skip to content

Reverb11: Santa Meets Synchronicity

Piano keys. (photo by Tui Snider)
Piano keys. (photo by Tui Snider)

Santa Meets Synchronicity

What with getting married in the spring and finally unpacking stuff I’ve been carting from one storage unit to another, it’s been a nesty year for me.

Much of this nesting involved discarding clutter, so a few weeks ago, when my husband asked what I wanted for Christmas, I couldn’t think of a thing. Likewise for him. I think we both muttered something along the lines of, “not needing more stuff to clutter up the place.”

That night, however, while doing dishes, a mental image barged in on my daydreams: it was an upright piano. Yeah, right, I thought, money’s tight, and pianos aren’t cheap. Put that in the ‘someday’ file.

And with that, I blew off the idea.

Piano strings - lower register. (photo by Tui Snider)
Piano strings - lower register. (photo by Tui Snider)

A couple hours later, I returned to the kitchen for tea. While waiting for the water to boil, that piano image popped into my head again. This time, I indulged the idea a little. I imagined how much homier this place would feel with a piano, and I let myself feel how much I’ve missed living with one.

Wouldn’t it be great to find a decent piano nearby for around $300? I mused. I don’t know why I thought of $300. The number just popped into my head and sounded reasonable – although unlikely.

Back upstairs, just as I noticed a piano in the background of a scene in the movie we were watching, my husband casually asked, “Do you ever miss playing the piano?”

That was it!

On impulse, I hopped onto Craiglist and did a search for pianos. Lo and behold, I discovered a beautiful upright grand piano for sale just a few miles down the road for us with the asking price of – you guessed it – $300!

It was love at first sight!

So, fasting forward a little bit, that’s how Santa met synchronicity this year, because we decided to make that piano our mutual Christmas gift.

Our beautiful "new" piano. (photo by Tui Snider)

Today’s #Reverb11 – #Resound11 writing prompts

Three writing prompts combined to inspire today’s post.

First, Jaemie Gyurik, passed along a prompt from Krissie for #Resound11:

What was the best gift you gave yourself this year? Did you buy big, fluffy towels? Did you have a massage on a day when you really needed it? Did you forgive someone and give yourself the freedom from that grudge?

The next prompt to catch my eye came from Hope Wallace Garney :

What was your favourite gift given and/or received in 2011? Who was the recipient, who was the giver? What was it for (an event, holiday or just because)? Was the gift tangible or something else (i.e. support in a hard situation or laughter when it was most needed)?

I find Hope’s mixed media journals super inspiring. Check out December Daily #Rerverb11 Hybrid Journal Day 6 to see what she created in response to this prompt.

Even so, it wasn’t until I saw the following prompt from Paula Puffer that I knew what direction to take with today’s post:

synchronicity (ˌsɪnkrəˈnɪsɪtɪ) — n
an apparently meaningful coincidence in time of two or more similar or identical events that are causally unrelated.

Did you experience any synchronicity this year? Tell us about it? Where did it lead you?

What is #Reverb11?

#Reverb11, #Resound11 and #Relish11 are just a few names for a fun end of the year project that mindful bloggers all over the world are participating in. Each day in December, folks choose a prompt from one of several lists, then use that as a launchpad to express themselves on their blog. The prompts are especially geared towards reflecting back on 2011 and paving the way towards a better 2012.

Everyone is welcome to join in. If you don’t have a blog, respond to the prompts offline through journaling, painting or whatever direction your inspiration takes you!

Tui Snider
Follow me:
Published inTravel Photo Essays

21 Comments

  1. Beryl Beryl

    Such a pretty piano. Really makes me want one. I have not played in years, and years…. Santa was good to you. Be good in 2012. Who knows what he will bring next time? ;p

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Beryl,

      I’ll try to be good this year. It sure worked out in 2011! ;p

      Hope you get a piano this year. Sounds like you need one!

      I’ll put a good word in with Santa for you!

      ~Tui

  2. I adore this post. It reminds me that when things are meant to be, they will be. :) Thank you for sharing this story with us! :)

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Noel,

      It really made me feel like I’m on the right track. Speaking of great stories, I need to swing by your blog this weekend… :)

      ~Tui

  3. Wonderful! I miss playing the piano, too, and may follow your lead – would love to have a piano in my home again!

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Sara,

      I hope you find the perfect piano for yourself in the coming year. Having one really helps turn a house into a home, in my opinion.

      Thanks for visiting!
      ~Tui

  4. Sophia Sophia

    It is funny and I love your post. Your piano is really beautiful and I also want to own this one.

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Sophia,

      Keep an eye on Craigslist if you want to find a piano near you – worked for me!

      ~Tui

  5. What a beautiful piano! And a perfect example of intention-manifestation at work. Truly, time and space aren’t as separate as we like to think they are.

    Great job, Tui! And thanks for sharing.

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Thanks, Andarin! :)

      I really enjoyed your latest post on manifestation. This piano makes a great reminder to me!

      ~Tui

  6. Great post and what a great gift to share with one another. I wish I could learn how to play. i would just use it as decoration right now but that would serve a good purpose.

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Kevin,

      As I told another commenter, you’re never too old to learn the piano. But you’re right, they even make nice decorations. Plus, you never know which one of your visitors will sit down and play a song for you!

      ~Tui

  7. I used to have a piano and I definitely miss playing. I have thought about buying one but we have a million steps. I have promised myself that our next house will have no steps in to the main level and I will get one then. Soon I hope. :D

    Peace,
    Morgan

    P.S. Don’t you just love it when you and your partner are on the same wavelength… :D

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Morgan,

      Don’t let the steps deter you. We had quite a few, ourselves. I left out the whole saga about getting the piano into the house!

      And, yes, I love being in synch with my partner. :)

      ~Tui

  8. Love it. Wonderful how the two of you were on the same wavelength. The piano was clearly meant to be, enjoy!

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Sarah!

      Oh, yeah! When he made that comment it totally clinched things for me.

      Thanks for dropping by from #commenthour. I love your blog, by the way! :)

      ~Tui

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Julie,

      I agree with you, but sometimes I forget… I love reminders such as this one. :)

      ~Tui
      p.s. Thanks for helping me troubleshoot my blog earlier today.

  9. Your new piano is beautiful! What a cool bit of synchronicity for you!

    Thanks for the linky love Tui. I appreciate it.

    • mentalmosaic mentalmosaic

      Hi Debbie,

      It’s never too late to learn the piano! :)

      Thanks for dropping by!

      ~Tui

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *