Synchronicity and the Mysterious Case of the Travel Guides
carrie breinholt Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 12:59PM 
Lately I feel like I’ve been swimming against the tide with my trip. Things just haven’t been falling in place like I’d like them to. My idea of renting an apartment in Saigon was nixed after I discovered the cost of a short-term rental was more than my monthly mortgage. I found out I’ll be in London for the Olympics, which may be a good or bad thing. Reading a history book on Budapest has left me less than inspired. And while an African safari would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’m wondering if it’s really worth a third of my travel budget.
And then I noticed something strange occurring. Like clockwork, every Monday someone has been leaving travel books on top of the public trash can at the corner of Guerrero Street by my house. First, it was The Rough Guide to Paris. The next week, it was Lonely Planet’s Guide to Croatia. Yesterday, it was Enjoying India: The Essential Handbook. Best of all, these are current guidebooks, all updated within the past 2 years. Yes, I will admit to being a bag lady and swiping them all.
So with these small synchronicities, the course of my travel has shifted: India over Southeast Asia; Paris versus London; sailing down the coast of Croatia instead of soaking in the baths in Budapest. I can hardly wait to see what guidebook gets left next Monday, but have decided to continue to go with the flow instead of against it…
carrie breinholt
After a period of silence, my "book benefactor" is back! Perhaps they've been on vacation, collecting more travel guides to donate. Maybe they were giving me time to finish the books I've already collected. Or perhaps it's someone I know that's playing a practical joke on me and secretly laughing.
Either way, over the past two weeks, the following books have been left on the street corner near my house:
An Italian architectural design book, in Italiano. Perfecto! And a book about wandering souls, something I can relate to.
Okay, nice sense of humor. I could probably do without this one, but my goodness how this person knows me. If additional self-help books start appearing, I'll be concerned...
Last Friday, I hit the jackpot with this find:
An entire year's subscription (2011) to Travel+Leisure. Seriously. How could a girl get any luckier?
Which made me think, could we always be this lucky and just not take notice? What if I had been too busy texting or not paying attention or said, "Ugh, no thanks, who knows where these books have been?" What happens when we ask for help, but don't pay attention to what we're offered, even if it doesn't look like we think it should?
Over the past weeks, I've felt anxious that I haven't made my hotel reservations, nor have I lined up any participants. However, I trust that it will work itself out. Perhaps not all at once, but like my travel books, piece-by-piece, in a manner I can digest.
One of the reasons I'm taking this trip is to learn to value trust as much as I value logic. What I'm learning in the process is to slow down and pay attention. Knowledge and guidance seem to find us when we are open to receiving it, but many times we're so caught up in ourselves that we fail to recognize it.
And while these books and magazines have lost their use to the person donating them, to me they are tiny treasures that are shaping my trip and providing an extra boost of faith...
I'd love to hear your experiences with synchronicity. Please feel free to comment.
Reader Comments (1)
Carrie, I really admire your decision to go out into the world and experience what people treasure while trusting the Universe to supply your needs. I know things will fall into place for you if you continue to relax and trust they will work out the way they are supposed to. Look for the manna Life sends your way! Remember to expect a safe environment wherever you may end up. Most of all...have Fun and experience Joy!