Saturday, May 07, 2011

Directional Synchronicity: Dear Diary

On Thursday of this week I drove up to Cleveland to visit my uncle and attend the Cleveland area Alzheimer's Association fundraising dinner. My uncle said that he might be in the shower when I arrived so he left the door unlocked and told me to let myself in. I walked over to the wall of books (9 bookcases 12 feet high) and looked at exactly two books. Inside the second book I picked up, I found a 'Dear Diary' letter written by my late aunt in 1969 regarding a significant conversation she had with my uncle about whether they would try for a fourth child. My aunt died a year ago this week and we were attending the dinner in her honor, so I was uncertain whether to tell my uncle about the letter. I didn't want to upset him. I put it back in the book and left it on the shelf.

After the dinner we were sitting at the dining room table and he started reminiscing, so I decided to tell my uncle what I had found. I was afraid that if I never told him, he might never find it with the thousands of books he owns. He was fascinated by the letter and it revealed to him private thoughts he never knew that my aunt had. He enjoyed contemplating the mystery of it all. If you read my blog last year at this time, you will remember that I had a very special connection with my aunt. I believe that she directed me to that book and that letter.