So, I had a dentist appointment this afternoon. Not generally blogworthy, right? Except that when I sat down in the chair, just as the dental hygienist was asking me if I had any specific concerns about my teeth, I looked at the large photograph directly in front of me on the wall. It was a photograph of Whale Rock at Wilson’s Promontory in Victoria, Australia.
I was completely unable to answer the hygienist’s question about my teeth and probably made a weird noise while I pointed at the photograph in disbelief, finally managing to exclaim “I’ve been there!”
Rewind 6 years and a few months:
I was there winter term of 2005 on the Carleton College Studio Art in the South Pacific study abroad program. The dental hygienist was very excited to learn more about the photo since she had no idea where it was or what it was about.
Of all the dentist’s offices in all the city, I had to walk into that one…
Adding to the coincidence is the fact that directly after my appointment I met up with my friend Megan who was picking up a painting I am donating to her Hand in Health fundraiser coming up June 19th at Intermedia Arts. Megan was on that study abroad program in Australia with me and was equally amused by the story of my strange dentist office discovery. Oh, and did I mention, she happens to be studying dentistry at the U of MN. Strange circular connections abound.
I suppose Whale Rock is a very frequently photographed landmark, so I was bound to come across a photo of it somewhere eventually…but I still like to enjoy the magical quality of moments of serendipity like this. Humor me, aight?
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