When Chance Passes Us By: A Reflection on Sara Teasdale’s Poem
Life often turns on moments we don’t notice until they’ve already slipped away. Sara Teasdale reminds us of the mystery and beauty hidden in missed connections.
Chance
Sara Teasdale
HOW many times we must have met
Here on the street as strangers do,
Children of chance we were, who passed
The door of heaven and never knew.
🌿 Reflection
Sara Teasdale’s Chance captures the quiet ache of all the unseen intersections in life. How many doors to love, friendship, or understanding have we unknowingly passed by? The poem reminds us that chance encounters are never trivial—they are sparks of possibility, even when left unlit. It is both humbling and inspiring to know that in the ordinary rhythm of our days, extraordinary opportunities walk right past us. The missed glance, the hurried step, the unnoticed stranger—all carry hidden stories. Teasdale’s words invite us not to lament the past but to awaken to the present, to look more carefully, to listen more deeply, and to honor the mystery of those we meet. For within every fleeting encounter lies the whisper of heaven’s door.
❓ Questions to Dive Deeper
- How often do you recognize the significance of chance encounters only in hindsight?
- What practices might help you slow down and notice the people and moments you often pass by?
- How does Teasdale’s poem shift your perspective on the strangers you meet each day?