Nothing Just Happens

by Duong Sheahan on March 10, 2010

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I am a true believer that “nothing just happens.” There are times in our lives when we know that a supernatural intervention has taken place in order to experience a magical moment. Call it FATE. Call it DIVINE. Whatever you want to call it, I believe that only God could have orchestrated that special event to take place and puts you in utter amazement.

Recently, I was grieved when I saw a Facebook update from friend back home regarding the death of a mutual friend’s brother. Sonya’s brother died of a horrible rare cancer at the young age of 39. My heart and prayers went out to his family, children, and my friend Sonya.

I have not seen Sonya in more than twenty years. I wanted to send her my deepest sympathy; hence, after a quick search, I found her on Facebook through our mutual friend. I sent her a friend request along with a message of condolence. Over the weekend she accepted my friend request and I with the passing of her brother so recent, I didn’t expect to hear from her just yet. What happens next is absolutely unbelievable…divine.

My Chicagonista LIVE co-hosts and I typically meet the day before our show to discuss the agenda. Because we are from all over the Chicago area, we select different spots to meet from the city to the suburbs. This month we decided to meet downtown Chicago at a quaint hotel and restaurant.

Chicagonista Live Co-hosts: Nancy Loo, MJ Tam, Beth Rosen, & me; (photo by MJ Tam)

As we got ourselves settled, the waitress came by to take our drink order. I recognized her but didn’t know right away how I knew her. Suddenly, I realized that she looked like my friend Sonya. She wasn’t wearing a name tag…so… I decided to ask her what her name was; the worst that could happen was she was not who I thought. That’s happened so many times!

My co-hosts looked up and were completely silent not knowing what I was about to say next, because of the peculiar way that I asked for this woman’s name. When she told me her name and I told her who I was….yes, we were in total shock! I think I must have jumped 10 feet off my chair trying to control myself from screaming too loud with excitement and disbelief. “Aahhhh….Oh My Gosh….I Can’t believe this is happening!” We looked like two teenagers again, hugging each other profusely and in complete awe of what just transpired.

Sonya & I downtown Chicago

This is the craziest reunion with an old friend I’ve yet experienced! Mind you, we grew up in Wisconsin, have had no contact since we were in high school and run into one another twenty plus years later in one of the country’s largest cities! My Chicagonista LIVE girlfriends just witnessed an incredible moment. To make our unexpected reunion more divine, our meeting was originally planned for elsewhere; but one of the co-hosts recommended changing locations. Sonya, who is a fitness instructor, re arranged her schedule to work at this place on this particular day of the week (which she says she typically never does).

My friend and I spent the next several minutes catching up as she shared the details of her brother’s illness. I was heart broken to hear about such a loss but I was blessed to be able to give Sonya my condolence in person. Her brother was a sweet soul who I have great memories of. We hugged; we exchanged phone numbers, took pictures, and have since chatted through Facebook. Aren’t you supposed to do that first before meeting in real life?

Not this time.

“Nothing Just Happens.”