Serendipity Wasn’t On My Shopping List

Every now and then we experience a bit of magic in life! It can happen anytime and anywhere, even during a global pandemic at a metre’s distance in front of a shopping trolley during lockdown. That chance meeting, that wonderful bit of serendipity and synchronicity that always comes as a delightful surprise.

The 16^th of March was a beautiful, spring day here in Lucca, Tuscany. The sun was shining, the trees were flowering, and the birds and butterflies were oblivious to the coronavirus that has so quickly changed our lives. All of Italy went into lockdown on the 11^th of March, and in those early days the anxiety and uncertainty was palpable. The streets were mostly empty and neighbourhoods seemed deserted. I ventured out to do some grocery shopping.

I arrived at our local Esselunga supermarket and joined the silent queue of people outside. Some wore masks, all wore gloves. We stood the required metre apart, no one spoke and hardly anyone made eye contact. It felt quite surreal. I looked around and then I did it…I spoke to the woman in the queue in front of me. And to my surprise and delight she responded. We started talking about how difficult this crisis is for both children and adults, and discovered we were both primary school teachers.

Our conversation moved on to our concern for children’s wellbeing during this pandemic. We spoke about the Andrà tutto bene rainbow initiative parents and children in Puglia had started and how important it is for children to know that they, too, can make a positive difference in the lives of others. How when we reach out to others in kindness it also eases our anxiety and gives us all hope.

I shared with her an idea from my blog for engaging children in sending drawings and messages of gratitude and encouragement to the healthcare workers at our local hospitals. She loved the idea and said she would bring it back to her school community. I told her I would like to hear about it if she and her students did this project. We exchanged names, she took my phone number and once inside the store we went off to shop. It was a lovely exchange, and we both walked away feeling energised and heartened.

On the 8^th of May, I received a phone call from Marialuisa Rebechi, the teacher I had met. She told me the children in her classes at Scuola Primaria “G. Pascoli” in Forte dei Marmi had in fact done this project, and she wanted to share its success. I was and am thrilled.

One of the parents in the school is a nurse at their local Versilia Hospital and worked with the Director to arrange to display the children’s work. The class parents were enthusiastic and mounted the children’s artwork on two large panels that were brought to the hospital and now grace its entrance. The children’s drawings are imaginative and their messages are thoughtful.

Their project was deeply appreciated by the healthcare workers and hospital staff, and was highlighted in the local newspaper and on local TV. Click here to see the images from Class 1A, and click here to see the images from Class 2A.

I collaborated on this same project with the children, teachers and families at Scuola Primaria “Matteo Civitali” di Monte San Quirico in Lucca. Click here to read the story, and see the children’s beautiful drawings and messages of gratitude and love on the padlet sent to our local San Luca Hospital.

These are challenging times for educators and we need to encourage and support one another. Sharing inspiration lifts everyone and enlarges our hearts. From this serendipitous meeting a beautiful initiative was born.

Our challenge as we emerge from lockdown is to continue to engage with one another, to allow space for the magic of those unplanned encounters. Serendipity was the best thing I found at the supermarket that day.