Synchronicity, Serendipity and Grace

ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA...

• SYNCHRONICITY is a word coined by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung to describe the "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events." Jung spoke of synchronicity as an "acausal connecting principle" (i.e., a pattern of connection that cannot be explained by direct causality). Plainly put, it is the experience of having two (or more) things happen simultaneously in a manner that is meaningful to the person or persons experiencing them, where that meaning suggests an underlying pattern. It differs from coincidence in that synchronicity implies not just a happenstance, but an underlying pattern or dynamic that is being expressed through meaningful relationships or events.
• SERENDIPITY noun to make discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things not in quest of.
• GRACE noun unearned favors or mercy received from God

ACCORDING TO ME...

• Mom clipped an article entitled Lost and Found by Rica Bolipata-Santos where she wrote about a yellow paperclip she lost as a child. What a coincidence, I thought.
• I was intrigued. I also couldn't shut out the little voice inside, telling me to get in touch with her. I decided to send her an email, offering to send her a copy of my book so she can "find" her yellow paperclip and relive it in a new colorful way.
• An excited email exchange follows. I sent her a copy of my book to her, and she promised to send me hers.
• I watched a Bukas Palad concert in Ateneo and decided to buy their CDs. As soon as I scan the list of BP members, a name stood out: Rica Bolipata-Santos.
• I received a copy of her book one day at work and I drink it all in in a couple of bedside reading sessions. She writes about love, children, writing, her relationship with her mother. I love her stories and how I feel like I am less alone when reading them. I like how I can almost hear her voice even if I've never heard what she sounds like. I like how even if I've never met her, I feel like I have.
  
• On the front cover of her book, she wrote: Dearest Nikki, Here's to synchronicity, serendipity, grace. Love, Rica.
• I look forward to the day we meet.
  

15 Books and 1 New Story

The Yellow Paperclip went back to PSTD today for the March Tipanan where I had a table for a book sale and signing - a small fundraiser activity for the organization. Some members wanted to buy books after my presentation last month. We sold 15 books! Not bad for an afternoon. Thank you again to my PSTD family... and yes, I don't mind doing this every Tipanan!

This month's topic was Spirituality in the Workplace and I'm glad I went. Not only did I sell 15 books, I also heard one of the best stories ever. Actually, it's THE story. The Ultimate Story. Fr. John Leydon, an Irish priest based in the Philippines for the last 30-something years who is now the parish priest of the Malate Church, shared The New Story of Creation, his personal version of a "cosmic creation story, empirically verifiable, told as an empowering myth". His story is sparked by Genesis, enhanced by the Big Bang Theory, supported by scientific facts yet inspired by The Creative Force - God Himself. The story is beautiful. Let me share some of my favorite excerpts:

I hope to tell the story of the Universe as if it had a personal identity, as if it were alive and has a "numinous" (sacramental) quality, as if it were a subject.

Galaxies are self-organizing systems. A star swirls and it brings with it a chain of other stars. What is it that attracts one star to another? We know it as the force of Gravity. But that does not fully explain the force. From our viewpoint, we can say that the Universe is permeated with ALLUREMENT. It is the most basic law of the Universe. It is what makes everything move. If there were no allurement then stars would fly away from each other. Atom would disintegrate and there would be no world, no us. The starting point for the on-going creative activity of the Universe is allurement. We see it clearly in the waltzing stars and galaxies but remember that the Universe continues its creative activity through the allurements that we humans experience in our daily lives.

As I write these words, I am aware of my fingers moving over the keys. I am aware of the bones in my fingers. The bones are made of calcium. That calcium came from an explosion of a Supernova, ten billion years ago. Five billion years ago, the atoms of the elements that make up my body were floating about in the heavens. I am the fruit of a five to ten billion year project! How are we to react to such musings? For me it evokes awe and wonder at the mystery of it all. Here is the starting point of religion - wonder at the mystery of it all - not shame and guilt which is where much of our present religion starts. The purpose of the recounting of this story is to evoke such sentiments, to awake allurement in us for Ultimate Mystery.

For so long we've considered the Earth as just a big dead ball of dirt. But the New Story tells us that the Earth is alive and moves. Copernicus said that the earth moved, but he meant moved around the sun. When we say it moves, we mean that the whole process is alive. The Earth moves. In a sentence that is the heart of the cosmic revolution.

Wow. His story was a real eye-opener. I'm glad the Church has married myth and science together in this New Story of Creation. The next time someone challenges you that the Big Bang never happened, tell them it's the same moment God said, "Let there be Light!"

I gave Fr. John my storybook and he accepted it gladly, with a smile and an invitation to visit the Center Ecozoic Learning in Cavite which he founded. I'll look forward to that... and many more stories from him.

Happy Paperclips

My mom gave me these happy yellow paperclips! Thanks, Ma!

Paperclips Launched Matchstick Missiles

Here is another story about paperclips from one of my favorite uncles:

In my younger days, I was about 15 or 16 then, we were managing a Magnolia kiosk in Naga City and I used to hang out there after school. While waiting for customers to come in, I played with matches pretending they were missiles. I used paperclips as a launching pad - yes, you read it right, a launching pad. How did I do it? Well I didn't know then how to make the match stick soar like a missile... then I thought of using paperclips.

I took one clip from my dad's office and slightly opened it up on a 45 degree angle. I covered the match head with the silver foil from cigarette boxes, leaving a small opening where the "smoke" would come out after I lit the stick. By lighting the match head, it would build up enough pressure and push itself up in the air with the help of the paper as a lauching pad. That was how I spent my idle time until your lolo caught me doing it and told me that I might end up burning something.

That was the end of my missile launching career... but my respect for the paperclips still remained.

He has some of the most interesting paperclip stories. Read another one here.

Elijah gives The Yellow Paperclip a Name

Me: "Is the Yellow Paperclip a boy or a girl?"
Elijah: "Ummm... a boy?"
Me: "Does it have a name? What would you name the Yellow Paperclip?"
Elijah: "Ummm... Lorenzo!"

Elijah (pictured here with the book and his paperclip strand!) is the son of my mom's friend's niece. Let me say that again: Elijah is the son of Jenina, the niece of Tita Vicky, one of my mom's good friends from STC. Tita Vicky bought Elijah a copy of my book last year but he only started reading it the last few months.

Here's one of her text messages to me: Elijah enjoys my reading the book to him. Last night, while reading, he made sure his paperclip strand was on the bed too. Bet you I will be reading it again tonight. Soon after she sent that message, she sent this nice surprise through snailmail:


The attached Post-It reads: Hi Nikki! Here's Elijah's Thank You drawing for you (on recycled paper, sorry!) for writing the book! Love, Tita Vicky.

I visited Elijah this afternoon to thank him for his drawing and to give him a couple of paperclips to add to his paperclip strand. He's one cool kid. He practically memorized the story. He showed off his paperclip strand. He said his drawing is a picture of the Grim Reaper (but I forget why though!). He believes the Yellow Paperclip is a boy named Lorenzo.

I'll definitely include Elijah in my group of "Work Content Experts" when I brainstorm for my next story. Hee-hee.

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Boston

Teacher Ails, my good friend and full-time Shiny Happy Person, teaches preschool in Boston. She read the story to her 3-year old kids today... and she says they loved it!

At first she thought the story might be too long and that the kids might get restless but they sat through it and kept asking WHAT? to the question at the end of each page: But did you know where the paperclip was before this? So they liked it! And the story "worked" for 3-year-olds!

She sent me this email today:

I finally got to read your book to my preschoolers this afternoon! Finally!! I mentioned that you wrote the book and they even asked what your name is. I told them that you are my friend and that you were in the Philippines. One even said, "Cool!" I was so happy to share your story to them.

My kids loved it. At the end of the story, I gave each child a paperclip (even though I didn't have the yellow paperclip with purple spots, but instead gave them the normal silver one) and asked them where they will take the paperclip. Here are their answers:

• Henry - in a box
• Alexander- in my daddy's car
• Jake - in the airport
• Max and Emma - in a treasure
• Sammy - in the airport
• Ruomo - in the airplane going to China to see my baba (dad)
• Nate - my house
• Dani - to my sister's school

Thank you again for the book, sweetie! Here are the pictures I took with my kids holding your book. Enjoy!!!

Love,
Teacher Ails

Ails and I have been friends since 1997. She has been in Boston for the last few years and came home for Christmas last December. When she found out I had a children's book and that I "cater to her profession" (hee-hee), she had to have a copy. I gave her two, one for her, the other for the library at her preschool. Thank you, Teacher Ails! I'm really happy. I got the similar feeling of swelling and overflowing emotions as I did when Donna of Pittsburgh told me her students enjoyed my story. The fact that the story cuts across cultures and timezones helps in my personal mission (that of making the world an even smaller place). So I'm really happy. Permanent-smile-on-my-face kind of happy. Bursting-happy-heart kind of happy.

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to (a Princess in) Singapore

Here's my first cousin, Faye, an interior designer based in Singapore, all smiles with my Yellow Paperclip. I gave her a copy for a Christmas gift when we had our family reunion at their place last December. Before she was known as "Faye", she was called Princess (or Intet, for short) by the family since she was the youngest among her siblings. So my paperclip is in royal company! Nice!

This princess is quite a connector herself; one that would make Malcolm Gladwell proud! Faye knows Kevin, the boyfriend of my friend Cricket (who drove me to Adarna House on the deadliest deadline of the PBBY-Salanga Prize to submit our entries; without Cricket, you may not be reading this blog!). Faye also reconnected with a long-lost cousin MgaDy cousin from the Li branch of our family tree. Way to go, Faye! Thanks again for the photo; even if there are no skyscrapers or no merlion in the photo, the apartment grills still remind me of Singapore!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Milpitas

The Yellow Paperclip has landed in several places in California! Last stop San Diego, next stop, Milpitas with the Dy-Liacco Kapunakans (translate: "cousins" in Bahasa Indonesia). Here's my paperclip's new friend, my nephew Jake.

Tito Boboy, one of my dad's older brothers, came home from Milpitas just for my grandma's 87th birthday two weeks ago. To thank him for all the paperclips he saved when he was still working, I gave him three books to bring back home to Milpitas for Jake and my nieces Inna and Isabel. I remember their mom saying that the two girls are like how Ate Kim and I were when we were kids!

Incidentally, Milpitas was my paperclip's first international destination! My first attempt to snailmail a copy was to the Kapunakans. It took over a month! To Inna, Isabel and Jake (and of course to Tito Boboy and Tita Marly, Rikki, Candy, Pepper and Nelson), hope you enjoyed my story!

The Yellow Paperclip Hangs Out in San Diego with My Best Fjupy Womyn Friends

Here's our semi-virtual Fjupy Reunion over the weekend when Trixy and her goober Adrian drove down to San Diego to visit Julia and John. Adrian promised me that I'd be there too so yes, that's "me" in a Manila folder! (You're the coolest, Ade!) My favorite fjupy couples were in the same Starbucks that our fjupy selves were in last April 2005, when we had our first real reunion since our high school graduation in 1997. Click HERE for photos of our daggy days in San Diego.

My Fjupy Friends. The three of us were inseparable in our last two years of high school in Singapore. Nikki, Julia and Trixy. The Poet, the Lover and the Lunatic. The Brain, the Bimbo and the Bitch. Two Filipinas and a Swede (kind of like an Oreo cookie, or so Julia always said). Tres Marias. Three IBH Art students. Three completely different women but the bestest of friends. The Fjupy Womyn.

The what womyn, er women? What kind of f-word is that?! Fjupy (pronounced "fyoopee") is a Swedish-like word we made up to describe... well, anything. It can be a superlative adjective or an expression of delight. It describes that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when your goober gives you a hug. (Julia, what's a goober again? Hee-hee.) Fjupy is when Trix talks with her hands and fingers. It's the essence of all of our D&M (deep and meaningful) conversations. It can also mean, as inspired by Levin (yes, of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, my one true love in high school), that silence which preserves the loftiness of emotions. Fjupy can mean anything we want it to mean. But it captures our fjupy friendship in a way other words simply can't.

See just how fjupy these fjupy womyn are to me? They're a big part of my Yellow Paperclip dream! Here's my photo in the book (thanks for the fun photo, May Ann!)... it came from the original photo above, taken in San Diego last year at Balboa Park. I flew to California with some slight hesitation. I didn't know what to expect. Compared to our high school selves, we were all grown up after eight years apart. Since we were never good at emailing regularly, there were so many separate memories and untold stories between us. My thought bubbles were everywhere. Where were we going to start?! Would it be awkward? How do we catch up with eight years of our lives in just two days together? Will it be just like the good ole fjupy days? It took us a few moments to actually get used to being all together again (we were sitting in the car in silence, just looking at each other and giggling)... but then the fjupy friendship took over and we ended up yakking away until 7 a.m.! Alamak, what was I thinking?! Why was I even worried? We were essentially the same fjupy womyn (albeit rounder, thinner, with longer/shorter hair, married, single), as daggy and D&M-ish and fjupy as ever. It wasn't even a question of catching up on the last eight years, but more of starting anew where we left off and taking our fjupy friendship into the next phase of our lives: NOW.

Trix and Julia, I look forward to our next (virtual or real) fjupy reunion. I love you, womyn!

Blast from the Past: A Coincidence... or a Conspiracy?

Wow. I got that incredible feeling of happy disbelief (again!) when I opened my inbox today. I got an email from Grace, the older sister of a good friend from fifth grade. Grace, a.k.a. Mommy Grace, was like our coach in the basketball varsity team (yes, even at 4'10", I used to play basketball!). Her short email read:

Don't know if you still remember me. I'm Grace, the sister of Christine, your batchmate in Zobel. Firstly, I just want to say hi and say "well done!" on your book. Actually, that's not it. I'm currently working at the prep library of Zobel when I came across your name on one of the books I was given to process. I just found it so weird and ironic that, like your yellow paperclip, your book has come full circle back to where you started to read and write...

Although I didn't start to read and write in Zobel (I was reading Nancy Drew and writing stories a la Sweet Valley High by the fifth grade), it is amazing how I've sort of come full circle with the good ole Yellow Paperclip. Could it be a mere coincidence that Christine is on my list of People to Reconnect With in 2006? I doubt it. There are no coincidences. Just a conspiracy (a.k.a. The Master Plan) and lots of surprising connections and reconnections. I love it how a paperclip has helped me create ties and rediscover links to different people and places.

I can't wait to see them both and a The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Zobel post soon...

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Germany

Stef is like a sister to May Ann and also an amazing artist. May Ann sent her a copy of our storybook and Stef said it was the "sweetest Christmas present... a sweet story with gorgeous illustrations"! I like her personal quote from her site: In the end, everything is going to be okay. And if it's not okay, it's not the end. I agree completely.

I'm glad you enjoyed the story, Stef! You're just as unique and colorful!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Peru

Alejo is yet another fellow deviant artist and one of May Ann's best friends. I think he's the very first person in South America to get our storybook! Wow! May Ann sent him a copy for his birthday. He's a great pixel artist and deviant of many interesting talents. What colorful adventure will you start today, Alejo?

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Australia

Kerstin (a.k.a. Ninke) is a good deviant artist friend of May Ann Licudine, my down-to-earth friend and illustrator extraordinaire. She sent May Ann this photo of her after getting a copy of our book. Wow, wouldn't it be cool if everyone who read our story got bright pink spirals on their cheeks? She's an emoticonist and has amazingly expressive and colorful artwork.

Felicia (a.k.a. Leficia) is another one of May Ann's good friends and fellow deviant artist. She looks a little uncomfortable after she got her wisdom tooth pulled out, but still very happy with The Yellow Paperclip! She's a 17-year-old pencil artist, writer and poet.

Good to know that our story has reached Down Under. Hope you enjoyed our storybook, Kerstin and Felicia!

The Yellow Paperclip attends a PSTD Tipanan

The Philippine Society for Training and Development is a non-stock, non-profit professional organization of Human Resource and Organization Development practitioners in the country. The Tipanan is a monthly general membership meeting; today's Tipanan featured "The Five Languages of Love" in celebration of Valentine's Day. I was invited by Susan Tayag of Bankard, a true DDI champion, to speak about books on love and relationships. I agreed except I told her I'd limit my quick review on children's books. I read excerpts and talked about The Missing Piece and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein. *Sniff.* I love those books. Every time I read them I still get a lump in my throat.

I got to introduce my book and talk about it very briefly. I guess they were intrigued because a number of participants came up to me after asking if I had copies to sell! Unfortunately, I didn't have enough with me. PSTD said they'll organize a book sale and signing at next month's Tipanan instead. Wow!

Before I forget. I saw a pink paperclip by my left front wheel in the parking lot across Cocolife Building.

The (Shy) Yellow Paperclip Meets a Children's Poet and Lots of New People

I attended an event with writer and poet Lara Saguisag tonight sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Lara discussed and read poetry for children to a diverse group of people. Bec, an English teacher at ISM who studied poetry at Cambridge. Jandy, my classmate in Ateneo for an elective on Writing and Illustrating for Children. Pepper, illustrator extraordinaire and my teacher for that class. Jeline, an old friend from Heights, the literary publication of Ateneo. Rowena, a corporate trainer and writer. Reni, publisher for Tahanan Books. Nikki from the CCP. Ani from Adarna. Several moms who read to their children at bedtime. Chiles, an old acquaintance, doctor-by-profession, and fellow fan of children's literature. (Thanks, Chiles, for telling me about tonight's event!)

The first hour was spent with each of us introducing ourselves and talking about our favorite children's book. I didn't even know we were supposed to bring a book; but it was a good thing I brought a copy of The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots because I wanted to give it to Lara as a thank-you gift. I was actually really nervous. I honestly felt a little uncomfy talking about my book infront of the SCBWI... I felt like such a novice, like a naive freshman in a tambayan of graduating seniors. On hindsight, I should have said more, shared more. I should have told them all the amazing stories behind my story. I should have shared the inspiration behind it all. I should have said something about this blog. (So why didn't you, Nikki?!)

Maybe it's because I don't have any formal training in children's literature. I don't have an MFA in Creative Writing (although it's at the back of my mind...). I can't rattle off names of famous authors and illustrators of children's books. But... what am I talking about? It should be enough that I really enjoy reading books for children. (For example: I got teary rereading The Missing Piece Meets the Big O over the weekend!) I love all the funky illustrations and silly or serious plots. I love the different layers we can read. Children's books have changed my life so I really should speak out.

I'll do better on Wednesday when I speak at the PSTD Tipanan. I hope. (No, I will. I'll keep you posted.)

A Paperclip I Can Call my Own

Literally! Ate Kim gave me this cool custom-made paperclip, designed by her friend from LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in Singapore. Isn't it pretty? Advanced happy Valentine's day to everyone!

Lost and Found

Excerpts from Lost and Found by Rica Bolipata-Santos
The Philippine STAR, Section G-1
Sunday, January 22, 2006

I always think of this yellow paperclip I had lost as a kid. I loved this yellow paperclip for some strange reason - maybe it was the shape I loved or the color. One day, I lost it. I remember clearly understanding for the first time loss, that it could happen so easily, no matter how vigilant one was; no matter how much one loved something, or someone.

A few days later, I found it among my clothes. Such joy at the revelation that it was only lost, to me. Because that is one thing I can take hope in: things are never lost completely. They are put away. They are misplaced. Someone else takes them. Sometimes, they are transformed into something else. But nothing ever disintegrates or disappears. That precious paperclip lies somewhere in this world - it must have a new shape, or a new color, or even a new form. Just like the love you have for someone who has gone. That love does not disintegrate either. One day when you least expect it (this I can imagine because I am a romantic), you will find that things are less... achy. You will be amazed at how much the heart can bear. And yes, you and I will be grateful for all that we've lost and all that we've found, in time.

* * *

You can reach me, looking for my lost pen at Rica.Santos@gmail.com

A Special Link to Fight Pompe

I'm happy to introduce you to a Fight against Pompe. May Ann, the greatest illustrator in the world (of course I'm biased!), designed the first illustration for Fight Pompe for my friend Dickoy Magdaraog.

I love mixing friends: that is, being a Connector (as Malcolm Gladwell described it in The Tipping Point) among my different urban tribes and across various groups of friends and contacts. I like introducing people to others because of a shared interest or a special need. I like being the "missing link" between strangers. I like making the world an even smaller place.

May Ann, of course, is the amazing PBBY-Alcala winning illustrator of my book The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots (her work is so amazing that my friend suggested May Ann gets her hands insured!). Dickoy is my boss' oldest son and is one of the most inspiring people I know. He has a rare condition called Pompe's Disease but remains happy and positive with his "thisability": he works, blogs, chats, jokes around, loves books, and enjoys writing. His blog documents his fight against Pompe, especially now as he receives bi-weekly infusions of a special enzyme and while he raises funds through an online store for FightPompe merchandise. Dickoy needed an artist and I referred May Ann in a blink: I knew she'd be perfect for his projects.

I'm glad I created a special link between Dickoy and May Ann. The Yellow Paperclip once again earned another Bright Purple Spot (welcome aboard, Dickoy!). Cheers to you both!

An Apple Paperclip a Day

Ms. Leony gave me these colorful plastic paperclips for a cool Christmas present! I don't think I've seen apple paperclips before. I thought that was extra thoughtful of her. I now use them in the office for those extra special notes or reminders. If I use an apple paperclip a day, will that keep the doctor (or perhaps the boss... hee-hee... I'm just kidding!) away?

Happy New Yellow Year!

Thank you, Papa, for these cool, giant (they're four inches long!), shiny yellow (gold?) paperclips! He gave them to me as a New Year's day gift.

Here's to an amazing, well-lived, bright-happy-yellow 2006 for you and me! I have a good feeling about this year. I've yet to complete my Wish List but I know what I want...