Grounded by Coincidence

Today (6/25/2025), I picked up Meaningful Coincidences by Bernard Beitman, MD for the second time. I had started it about a year ago but didn’t finish. Recently, I felt an inexplicable pull to return to it, so I started again from the beginning.

I was reading by the Winooski River, just across from where I live in Vermont. After about 45 minutes, I closed the book and started walking home. It was around 5:45 p.m. when I felt an absence seizure beginning to creep in.

I’ve had non-epileptic events in the past, most recently last year. Through therapy, I’ve learned grounding techniques that help when I feel one coming on. One is a vagus nerve breathing exercise. Another involves engaging my five senses with my surroundings.

I looked up and saw a plane. I noted the sight of it and the sound of the engine. I told myself I needed to use my sense of touch next, so I focused on a tree and some nearby plants. As I reached toward them, I noticed someone walking by on the riverwalk. Just before I made contact, the person reached out and touched the bushes beside him.

The timing struck me. We reached at the same moment, both connecting with the world in silence. I touched the leaves, felt the texture, and stayed present. The seizure passed.

To me, this was a meaningful coincidence. It felt like a quiet affirmation that I am connected, supported, and not alone. It gave me peace and helped me stay grounded, both literally and spiritually.