The life change is in the details.

I have always been more than a little fascinated by events that are shaped by the tiniest of details that have an enourmous impact on ones life. It is a wonder to me how such a little detail could change the course of ones life forever. Let me illustrate what I mean by sharing two stories that I recently heard.


Ertoma Bolanos and his girlfriend Almudena, 26, were coming home from the Canary Islands vie SpainAir flight JK5022. They had been vacationing with Aludena's relatives. The couple was late but were allowed to check in. When they got to the ticket counter, they were denied access to the flight as the doors had closed a mere three minutes earlier. After two attempted take offs, the SpainAir flight tragically ran off the runway and burst into flames, killing 153 people. The couple did not find out about the accident until Almudena's mother phoned her. Imagine the relief that the mother felt upon hearing her daughters voice. The couple have said that the feel they have a "new lease on life."

A man was set up on a blind date by his friend and given the women's telephone number so that they might establish plans and make contact. The women's name was Rachel. The man called Rachel and described his intentions, identifying her and asking about her life by the small details that had been supplied by his friend. Ironically, nearing the end of the conversation, the two discovered that this Rachel was infact not the Rachel his friend knew, but a different Rachel of similar age and interests. The man apologized after realizing that he had confused the second to last digit as a 7 instead of a 1. After hanging up, he called the correct number this time and set up a blind date with the "real" Rachel. After going out with the second Rachel once, he realized the the first Rachel sounded much more interesting and cute. So he called her up again and they went on a date. This couple has now been married for over 30 years. "All because I thought that the 7 looked like a 1" the man said.