Dictionary Game

Because I'm fascinated by amazing little coincidences, I have to describe something that just happened today. Here's some background: The book I am reading right now is The Lost Language of Symbolism by Harold Bayley, first published in 1912. I love reading about history, the more obscure the better, and this book is definitely that. It is all about watermark symbols used in early European papermaking. Apparently the earliest papermakers were from southern France, and tended to be some of the earliest Protestant-type heretics, many later called Huguenots. This interests me because some of my ancestors were Huguenots.

Anyway, last night, as is my habit, I read from the book until I got sleepy. The last thing I had read mentioned Osiris, the Egyptian deity. The book said that the word "Osiris" means "many-eyed" (Os=many, Iris=eye). I had never heard this before. It reminded me of some verse in the Bible, in Revelation, I think, that talks about a creature in heaven that is "full of eyes".

Ok, now back to noontime, today. Husband and Son were sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for me to get lunch all set out. Husband grabbed the big dictionary which we keep by the table for working on newspaper Jumbles and crossword puzzles. He said, "Let's see if we can learn something", and then proceeded to open the dictionary to a random page and was going to pick out a definition to read to us. Then I said, "No. Do it this way. Close your eyes and open to a page and put your finger down and read the definition your finger is touching." So, that's what Husband did. And guess what word he opened and pointed to......"Osiris"! I chuckled. With a puzzled voice, he read the definition: "The ancient Egyptian god of the lower world and judge of the dead, brother and husband of Isis."

It was a funny little coincidence, just for me privately, of course. But that makes it no less entertaining and interesting. Watch for this type of happening in your own life!

P.S. - I had to come back and add this! In my email just now there was a message from Amazon.com advertising an upcoming book entitled Coincidentally: Unserious Reflections on Trivial Connections, authored by George Rutler. His name is unfamiliar to me, but I may have to look into his book.