It’s a Small World After All

Alan Mueller of North Carolina and Alana Muller of Kansas meet up at Disney World!
Separated at birth? Alan Mueller of North Carolina and Alana Muller of Kansas meet up at Disney World!

Have you ever had one of those moments where something really weird (that’s a technical term) happens, you do a double take and literally can’t believe or comprehend what just occurred?  Happened to me last week.

Here’s my crazy small world story… My family and I were visiting the Happiest Place on Earth (er, Disney World) and had lunch reservations at the 50s Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios.  When we walked in, another fellow was at the hostess desk ahead of me.  The hostess seemed confused as she went to find his reservation.  In the meantime, she greeted me, asked my name and looked on her computer for my reservation.  When I told her, her confusion worsened.  She asked me, “Are you two together and did you mistakenly make two reservations?  One for three people, one for four people?” I shook my head “No” as the other customer took out his driver’s license and asked me, “Is your name really Alana Muller?”

I looked at his license… guess what his name is… OK, OK, I’ll spare you the suspense… his name is Alan Mueller!!!  We all, the hostess included, looked at one another in shock, our eyes grew large and we started laughing!  No mistake had been made.  Indeed, there were two 11:30am reservations, at the same restaurant, in the same theme park (many thousands of miles from our respective homes, nonetheless)… both parties arrived a little late… one reservation was for Alan Mueller, party of four; the other was for Alana Muller, party of three!  Unbelievable.  I don’t think we could calculate the chances of that happening if we tried.

It’s been fun connecting with Alan and his family over the past several days.  Turns out, we have a great deal in common and are eager to get to know one another.

I’m not a huge believer in coincidence… instead, when people come together in the way I described above, I believe that the stars are aligning and the “heavens” are telling you that you have information to share, value to add to one another’s life.  And so, of course, the point of sharing this little story is another YOU JUST NEVER KNOW moment… you just never know who is sitting next to you who might change your life, you just never know in what ways you might change their life, you just never know what fate has in store for you both.  It’s a small world after all.

4 thoughts to “It’s a Small World After All”

  1. What a great story. It’s funny, and wonderful, how the stars align in such unique ways.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Regards, Don

  2. great story–but now I blame you, my friend, for the earworm of “it’s a small world” going through my brain all day!

  3. Great Story! I was recently at a networking event where I met two women from KC. I mentioned being from Wichita, and both ladies knew a different person from a small town I grew up in East of Wichita. Turns out, I had grown up with both of them and and all our families have been connected for 45+ years. It was a connector that made us all laugh about what a small world it is. Love it when that happens!

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