Yesterday around 10 a.m. I went to a coffee shop to finish some work.

When I arrived, I pulled out my computer and immersed myself in my writing. Well into my work I realized that I needed to purchase something because I was working there.

But I didn’t want anything. I was trying to talk myself into something, but nothing resonated. So, I decided that I would purchase something for someone else and let that be my “rent” for my working space.

I approached the barista and gave her the scoop and asked her to decide who I would buy a coffee or tea for. She would decide, then give me a nod when she had chosen the person, and at my request to remain anonymous, I would pay for their treat after they had left.

It felt like a simple and fun solution!

After an hour of being there, I wondered why she hadn’t chosen anyone and thought perhaps she had forgotten. I looked down at my clock and it was 11:10 a.m.

I love seeing repeating numbers on clocks and think of them as auspicious. So knowing it was going to be 11:11 soon, I closed my eyes and repeated A Course In Miracles mantra, “I abide in a perfectly loving universe.”

As I allowed the power of this mantra to circulate through me I opened my eyes with the purpose of looking around while silently saying this message.

As my eyes blinked open, in the middle of the 11:11 minute, I saw the barista looking at me and giving me the nod of who she has chosen to gift the drink to. He was an older gentleman wearing a nondescript brown baseball cap and walking with a cane.

I witnessed the progression of his response after she had informed him that his treats were a gift. These responses progressed from confusion to disbelief, to suspicion, and then to extreme gratitude. I saw him leave a very generous tip for her. I was so excited to see this!

I felt that it was amazing that the barista had chosen this gift while I was repeating this mantra, at 11:11 a.m.

The barista then informed the man who the gifter was—and she pointed to me.

All of a sudden I felt so shy and sunk into my chair. He slowly walked over to thank me and we started chatting. He was ever so kind, soft, and grateful. As our conversation continued we both learned that we are from the same hometown.

As we connected about this little town, we discovered he knows my parents and was good friends with my uncle Nick, who passed 22 years ago, and who used to be an art professor at the local college. When this hometown and the uncle Nick connection surfaced, we just couldn’t believe it.

We were held in the most beautiful moment together. We sat in silence with big smiles on our faces—in total awe!

My smile became even bigger, I am not sure how that was even possible, and then I remembered the mantra, “I abide in a perfectly loving universe.” The truth of this twirled us both into infinity.

As I was preparing to leave I realized that I wanted to tell the barista about the 11:11 moment and the mantra because she was so intimately involved in it. I wrote the mantra so she could have it and decided to give one to the gentleman who I bought the coffee for. When I told her she just couldn’t believe it.

I still feel surprised by how these synchronic moments unfolded, but then again, I am not surprised.

God, the universe, love, all work in ways that are beyond anything that I can imagine and I am grateful that I am allowing myself to step aside, more and more, so I can continue to be amazed at the outpouring of love that is expressed through the stars.

Connection is always happening. It is available in every moment.

The question is, are we?
~

Author: Paris Latka
Image: Patrick Tomasso/Unsplash
Editor: Lieselle Davidson