1st Febraury, 2016
The Curiousness of Coincidence
Have you ever wondered about the coincidences in your life
and think that, because they’re so alike, they might not be coincidences at
all?
Before I go on, I should warn you that this post is about something
extremely trivial – or is it? – that for
some of you it might not that interesting. But, sometimes the most trivial of
things can spark the most curious reflection.
Anyway.
I have on occasion wondered about the coincidences in my
life, although not to the point of looking over my shoulder or fearing that
there’s a conspiracy working against me.
I’ve wondered how and why these things have happened but I can’t come up
with a sensible reason or than they’re simply coincidences. For me, one of the more
curious ones has to do with the sports colour scheme of the schools I have been
involved with, either as a student or teacher or coach. I did my secondary education at Island School
in Hong Kong. Most of the uniforms of the sports teams there were red, white
and blue – the colours of The Union Jack – but there was a year or two in which
our basketball kit was red with blue trim and blue numbers. One year our
football uniform was blue with red trim. My favourite professional sports team –
Arsenal Football Club – has for the most part always had a red home jersey
since I became a fan in 1980. So, in some way, red has been following me since
my youth.
Here’s where it gets really curious. I wouldn’t say there’s
a conspiracy against me. I mean, come on, what kind of conspiracy is it to have
someone exposed to the same colour scheme at different stages of his life at
the different institutions that were/are important to him. But, it’s worth a
mention.
I did my undergraduate university studies at Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey. Its school colours are red, black and white. The
University’s teams’ nickname is The
Scarlet Knights. After graduating and a couple of job changes, I found
myself coaching at Passaic County Community College. I was the Head Men’s
Soccer Coach. We had a great run; getting nationally ranked and reaching the
national Division III semi-final. The team’s colours were red and black and
white. I did that for a season and a couple of years later I was teaching and
coaching at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. (All the schools mentioned
in this post are in New Jersey.) I was the Assistant Varsity and Junior Varsity
Boys Volleyball Coach. Our school and team colours? Red, Black and White. The
school’s teams’ nickname? The Red Devils.
During that time, I was working on my M.A. in Coaching and Sports
Administration at Montclair State University. I’d gotten into MSU, then
Montclair State College, as an undergrad as well but I elected not to go there
because there was a foreign (non-English) language requirement. Hindsight being
20/20, I regret not going there for that reason and I regret not pursuing a different
language at Rutgers. I could’ve continued my four years of high school French
or I could’ve pursued Cantonese (the language of my hometown which I wish I
could speak fluently) or Korean (the language of my chosen martial art, Taekwondo).
Anyway, MSC’s/MSU’s colours are red, black and white and the nickname is The Red Hawks. My Graduate School graduation
cap and gown were red too. Finally, taking our story to present day, I’ve ended
up teaching and coaching in the South Orange-Maplewood School District and, again,
the school colours are red, black and white. I am the Head Girls Volleyball Coach for our
high school, Columbia, and the Assistant Throws Coach (shot put, discus,
javelin) for our Outdoor Track and Field Team.
There have been a couple of hiccoughs. I did coach at then
Solomon Schechter Day School, now Golda Och Academy, and the school colours
there are blue and white but, as you can see, my life – at least in terms of
teaching and coaching – has been coated in red, black and white. Coated or
clouded? Hmm. You decide.
Is this purely coincidence? Has someone or some larger
organisation set me up so I get hired by schools whose colours are red, black
and white? Or, is there something in my psyche or subconscious that makes me
apply for and interview better at schools whose colours are red, black and
white? Of the three, only black is a favourite colour of mine. To be completely
honest, my favourite colours are orange and blue; royal blue to be specific.
So, while I do contend that all of this is likely
coincidence, it might be plausible to suggest that there’s something more to
it. Maybe one of you reading – someone much more intelligent than myself and
who has the proper training in sociology, psychology, neuroscience and other disciplines
– can look into this and see if there are others who’ve gone through something
like this as well. Perhaps you can explain if I create this coincidence
subconsciously and, if so, why red, black and white are so important.
Because of my age (I turned 47 yesterday), my place on my
school district’s salary guide and being a tenured teacher, I am not likely
going to change teaching and coaching jobs before I retire. If I ever leave my
current position, it’ll be for something other than teaching so my red, black
and white adventure has more than likely come to its end with Columbia. Or has
it?
Thanks for stopping by.
