Synchronicity – further thoughts from Diane Hoff-Rome

What is synchronicity?

Synchronicity’ is a concept developed by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung to describe ‘a perceived meaningful coincidence.’

Do you believe in synchronicity?

I do.

Especially after receiving an overseas letter (in response to two catalysts: Waternish and the word ‘Highlands’) in my article in the Winter Newsletter.

It seems like the Highlands and Waternish have been part of my life forever.

Literally.

I was born in the Highlands of Lynn (in Massachusetts, one of the original 13 American Colonies), on top of a hill overlooking the city; and beyond, the Atlantic Ocean, gentle ponds (akin to Lochans); and nearer to the skies that most people ever dream of.

My mother’s best friend lived in the Highlands of Lynn, also. Her best friend’s mother emigrated from Scotland: all those wonderful meals and puds my mother cooked for us were from Mrs. Russell’s recipes.

My great -grandmother built 3 houses on Grant Street and our family lived in one of them. Grant is originally a Scottish surname derived from the French ‘grand’, meaning ‘tall or great’ a legacy from the Norman invasion in England and Scotland. Grants have been in Scotland since the 1300s.

Highland Clearances and the Grants – one of the rare good tales….

Clan Grant was one of the few clans not to be affected by the Highland Clearances. The “Good Sir James” Grant (Clan Chief from 1773-1811) built the town of Grantown-on-Spey for the purpose of establishing a textile industry in the north, and for the expressed purpose of providing for his clansmen to keep them from emigrating. While other Highlanders were emigrating in the face of the changes that were sweeping away the old Highland way of life, Sir James Grant was busy building an entire new Highland town to provide for his Clan. Grantown-on-Spey is a monument to Sir James’s loyalty to his clansmen (ref:1).

Imagine my surprise when the man who emailed me wrote that he too lived in the Highlands of Lynn, Massachusetts as a child; and ‘that he had lived on…you guessed it, Grant Street.

And when my family moved from the Lynn Highlands to a seaside town nearby, we lived around the corner from…Grant Road!

Synchronicity or what?

So how did this man,  who lives 3000 miles away, come to read the Visit Waternish News and discover a childhood neighbour? He is a Travel Consultant bringing people to Skye and to Waternish.  In his own words:

“…I was looking for places to stay on Skye for my clients…Since I can’t be everywhere all the time, vehicles like Visit Waternish are great for keeping me up to date on accommodation and activities. This information I use in my proposals to whet the appetite of prospective clients…”

Because of our wonderful Visit Waternish newsletter, reaching near and far, I hope that Visit Waternish members ‘will reap fruit from my continuing conversations’ with this Travel Consultant as I have promised ‘to introduce him to new opportunities from our members who welcome tourists to tarry a while on Waternish, so he can continue to ‘whet’ people’s appetites’ to visit and stay on Waternish, our little bit of Paradise.

Synchronicity?

Whether you believe in synchronicity or not, there is no disputing that Visit Waternish made this connection happen – a connection with many possibilities. And happening in the spring time, a time for new beginnings – I, for one, ‘perceive this connection as a meaningful coincidence’.

Diane Hoff-Rome, Waternish, 2015

(1) ref. Scotweb.co.uk