Qualified

She gave me a flier as she marched past.

She was one of a dozen women high-stepping and twirling sparkly batons in sync with the rhythm of the tuba. The band rounded the corner swinging saxes, trombones, and trumpets with enthusiasm. Exuberance shined as brightly on their faces as the lights on their instruments. And then, the swing music began.

I love a parade. I love sparkly lights. And I love swing music. Though not a fan of crowds, this band made the masses bearable.

And the best part? It's a summertime parade with Christmas lights! Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, and it's only [Christmas Counter Here] days away.

Some would call it serendipity:

1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.

2. good fortune; luck.

That's a great word. And, as luck would have it, it's also a made-up word. The three heroes in the Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip, make desirable discovery by accident. And Horace Walpole must have liked the concept a lot because he used his new word in a letter to his friend Horace Mann.

There I was, passing through my least favorite part of my state's fair (the carnival portion), when I got to experience a chance encounter with a group doing what they love and bringing joy to others. And then, she handed me a card - and a membership offer.

Guess I looked qualified.

Those who know me will smile. I'm not the most coordinated person in the world. I can march. But twirling and catching a baton requires more skill than I currently possess.

And that's okay. Someone needs to be in the crowd cheering on the people in the marching band. I accept that I have limitations. They are part of what make me... me.

"Embrace the glorious mess that you are," says Elizabeth Gilbert. When she was going through a messy divorce, she didn't know that her journey would lead her to author the best-selling book Eat, Pray, Love.

I embrace the journey I'm on. And I welcome delightful, serendipitous moments. Could learn to twirl and toss a baton? Sure. I might even be able to catch a baton some day. After all, I did eventually learn to whistle. But today, my path leads me to enthusiastically cheer others on.

I don't know your journey but I do know this: You're qualified for it. Embrace it with delight.

Here's how you and I are qualified:

It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.

- 2 Corinthians 3:5