Synchronicity and the Five Yen Piece

I'm just a bit proud of myself.  After my rant yesterday about not having words to adequately express what I experienced in Japan over the past seven weeks, I have made a break through.  I have found suitable equivalents to two words that have played a key role to my time in Japan.

Synchronicity.  Call it what you will:  God's will, luck, fate, miracles, angel kisses, coincidence.  I believe in it.  It's real.  It exists.  Synchronicity is in the moments where logic defies reason.  Things happen that shouldn't.  There is beauty in this.  It's a most perfect combination of peace and fun. 

Go-en.  Or, more simply, en.  I'm allowing myself to translate this as synchronicity.  The more literal dictionary translation is luck.  It's far more complex though.  It's deeper than just plain luck.  Go-en is luck with a reason.  Go-en is fate as a gift.  It's meant to be a blessing to the receiver. 

I heard and used the words synchronicity and go-en repeatedly in Japan.  It's as if through the earthquake and tsunami and the catastrophic devastation they caused also bestowed the grace and gift of luck, fate, and coincidence to those who were willing to receive it.  Time after time things happened that shouldn't have.  Good things.  I have story after story of how this happened. 

I like the idea of being receptive to the unknown.  I like embracing the indescribable tidbits of fortune that I encountered.  I took every opportunity to use the words synchronicity and go-en.  The idea, meaning and definition behind these words make sense in both languages.  People get this.  Synchronicity and go-en make people smile.

The question inevitably comes up. 
"Do you know what go-en means?"  This is always asked with a grin, a raised eyebrow, and a sneaky look. 
"I do," I always replied and smiled.  I then dug into my backpack, pulled out my wallet and showed them the five yen piece I have stored away in a small and special compartment.
"See?"
"Good," was usually their answer, content I had the proper appreciation for fate by carrying around the one coin that symbolized, literally and figuratively, go-en.

Go-en also means "five yen" in Japanese.  It's a homonym for "luck" or in my case, synchronicity.  It's a good idea to carry around the coin that symbolizes synchronicity.  That I knew this and respected the language and meaning behind go-en means I passed this test.  That I carry around a special five yen piece is even better.

Synchronicity and go-en.  Synchronicity and the five yen piece.  These are now a few of my favorite things.