Stuff That I Have Noticed #69: Spontaneous Synchronicity

Fifty-six years and forty-two days since we met, my (still quite beautiful) wife, Elizabeth Hepburn, and I have begun to notice a series of spontaneous synchronicities.

What do I mean by that obscure coinage? You might well ask. Well, I will tell you in as many words as possible.

A few months ago, on a beautiful night, Elizabeth and I were standing on our terrace overlooking the Manhattan skyline to the south and the Hudson river to the west. I said, “We are so blessed to have this penthouse.” This is a thought I have frequently. We’ve lived in this apartment, on a hill and seventeen floors above West End Avenue since October of 1971 and it is (what is known in The City as) Rent Stabilized. This means that 1) we got it at a remarkable discount from prevailing rents in this neighborhood and 2) the raises of rent every two years are rarely more than nine percent. So this apartment is truly a gift from the Universe.

I often have the “blessed” thought as I survey our view, both day and (especially) late night when the city is quiet and the Hudson gleams with the reflected lights of New Jersey.

Here’s where the “spontaneous synchronicity” comes in. That particular evening when I said, “we are so blessed to have this penthouse” Elizabeth said the exact same words with the exact same cadence and emphasis!

We both stood very still for a few seconds then began to laugh as we looked at one another.

Since that night, about ten weeks back, we have experienced the same phenomenon — with different phrases — twice more, most recently four evenings ago. As you may expect, I have a theory. (It is entirely possible that some behavioral science PhD candidate has written a dissertation about this. Then again, maybe not.)

Anyhow, here’s my theory.

The Bryant Postulate on Spontaneous Synchronicity

When two people — especially a couple who love one another — spend on average between ten and twenty-four hours a day together and work on multiple projects feeding on each other’s wit and creativity for over five decades, they’re very likely to, as we say in the movie biz, “synch-up”.

In the 1970s and ‘80s Elizabeth was doing singing gigs of many sorts: performing roles in operas with companies as varied as NYC Opera, Saint Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, San Francisco and Maryland Opera companies as well as a series of solo concerts in Montreal and New York. She also was active in Musical Theatre, most notably, playing the leading role in the Broadway hit I Do! I Do! in Louisville and Phoenix for lengthy runs.

In the summer of 1990 we drove our trusty Saab 12,000 miles across the USA (and back) accompanied by our faithful companion R. Buckminster Collie, a well traveling canine person.

Elizabeth gave concerts in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, San Diego and Denver. For the New York and USA tour gigs I served as producer so we had a lot of working together time. Then, again in The City, in 1988 and ’89 Elizabeth did a series of eighteen, half hour programs on cable TV for which we transformed our living-room into a studio with a world class professional crew (working pro bono). I served as producer/director.

[During this period I was active as a freelance Producer and First Assistant Director in film and TV in The City.]

Then in 2004 we embarked on our joint Magnum Opus, Elizabeth Hepburn’s Better and Better Series which I co-produced with Eric Brown as well as directed and edited. It was completed in ’05. You may read about that HERE.

So after fifty-six years and counting we are romping into our Senior Years with gusto and continued spontaneous synchronicity.

My memoirs may be found here.