Is there more to chance and coincidence than just chance or coincidence?

Is it just a perception we have or does it alter our peceptions?

Yesterday, I found a book that was written by one of my old professors of twenty-five years ago. It was in a big bookstore, on one of hundreds of shelves, among roughly fifty books on the shelf and was the only one, yet it caught my eye. I picked it up, looked through it, offhandedly wondered what he was doing these days and thought about tracking him down and getting him to sign the book.

Today I saw his death announcement in the newspaper. He died yesterday, the day I found the book. It wasn’t the obituary, just a short, small paragraph, one of six this day.

Coincidence? Chance? Why?

I am in that bookstore almost once a week. I have not thought of the gentleman in years. What was it that caught my eye? Perhaps his name? Perhaps it was just one of many that I pulled out and perused. And is that why he was in the paper today or was the fact that his name was in there catch my eye again? Had I not seen the book or the announcement then no coincidence; but I did. Again, why?

Anyone?

I know we all have examples of this happenstance. What are some of yours?