Serendipity is a word I dearly love. It means the unexpected expressing itself beautifully. This is what happened to me when I met Luca and Harry.

Our San Diego Web page master and UNI student Daniel Vanetti told me to visit his brother Luca in Basel. Naturally I was delighted and ready for a wonderful meeting with one of the Vanetti clan from Switzerland. His wife was taking the children to the dentist but he had time to have lunch with us in an exclusive Basel restaurant near the Bahnhof railroad station and what a classy meal it proved to be.

We greeted the red ski capped young man in his early 40’s, his signal as to what to expect as we looked for him. We entered the forefront of the restaurant, but since Luca had made a reservation, we were ushered to the white linen fine dining area. A host of waiters and official looking staff swept our coats from our shoulders and led us to a quiet area. With several wine and water glasses, a raft of silver and double plates, we sat on exquisite period furniture. The restaurant did not take credit cards he found out. He excused himself for a moment, ran to the nearest automatic bank teller and drew out enough money for lunch. He did not tell us what he did. Later he told Daniel who told us.

A few social amenities and Luca explained his thoughts on life directly from the textbook of the Art and Science of Wholeness (not really, but they could have been). He pointed out that he is responsible for any condition or circumstance, any person or creature that comes into his world. He confided that he had been a rapscallion as he was growing up in the 60’s and spent his time waiting for the end of the world. When that did not happen he decided to make the MOST out of life. This he did by marrying his childhood sweetheart and finding himself a traditional post with an insurance company. Because of his positive attitude and creative imagination he went up in the ranks of his company and found favor with his bosses. His greatest joy was in coming home to his wife and family. Every holiday he devoted to their mutual sharing. They make me happy, he said.

For almost two hours he held our ear with tales of his positive life. Though his mother was a definite person, he said she should travel. When she did he would secretly take her ticket and upgrade it to business class so she would enjoy greater comfort in flight. He dearly loves his brother Daniel in America and admires his lifestyle and his new marriage to Patricia and the new home they purchased in San Diego. Neither Ellen nor I had much chance to show off our philosophy, but the mirror was all we needed. What a marvelous man.

The Rev Patricia Shivdat of New Jersey asked us to greet her son and his family also in Basel. We were in for another marvelous surprise. Her son Harry grew up in Guyana. He lived in New Jersey with his mother and her six other children. She saw each was wonderfully educated. This was obvious with Harry.

Holding his youngest son Christofer, surrounded by his beauty queen wife Ashie and daughter Samantha and yet another vivacious son Dimetri, the family greeted us at their home. In a lavish array of finely appointed furniture and perfectly set table, we shared our hearts. After telling us how highly he regards Switzerland I suggested he tape his dissertation and give it to the Swiss government to let the people in Switzerland know just what a wonderful land they live in. Shyly he smiled but admitted his temporarily adopted country was very special. He works as a finance officer in his chemical firm, a highly sought after man in the business. (Later his mother told us Harry was promoted by his firm and given a raise equal to four times his former lavish salary.)

Over a lovely dinner he pointed out we are responsible for our world. Our world is what we make it. Every experience we have we have created by our thought. Our health, our wealth and our circumstances are our creation.

As I listened to this wise 30 something man I contemplated perhaps the whole world has a more positive way of looking at life than I had ever thought.

Now as I profess my philosophy I do not do so because the world can use what I have to say, but rather because I am but one of six billion voices each singing out the same glorious song of unconditional love.

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