When Memory Meets Reality: A Serendipitous Reunion in York
How a Chance Encounter at a Food Bank Reconnected Me With a Voice From My Sustainability Film
Hello dear friends,
My name is Sofonie Dala, and I come from the beautiful country of Angola. I arrived in the UK last September as a Chevening Scholar, currently living and studying in the historic city of York. Since coming here, I’ve been blessed with countless unforgettable experiences—moments that have deepened my understanding of community, sustainability, and the magic of human connection.
Today, I want to share one of those special moments with you. It’s a story about memory, purpose, and how life sometimes brings people back into our path in the most unexpected and touching ways. I hope it inspires you to reflect on your own meaningful encounters, and the power of small moments to bring big joy.
Here’s what happened…
Déjà vu, from the French for "already seen," is the feeling that one has already experienced a situation that is actually happening for the first time. It's a common phenomenon, with most people experiencing it at least once. While the exact cause is unknown, it's often attributed to a misfiring memory circuit or a glitch in how the brain processes information.
But sometimes… just sometimes… déjà vu isn’t a trick of the brain. Sometimes, it's a beautiful thread weaving together past and present—a whisper from memory saying, “You’ve been here before. This matters.”
It was two Fridays ago, and I was volunteering at the food bank. The morning buzzed with the usual rhythm of boxes being sorted, hands extended, smiles exchanged. That’s when I saw him—a man with glasses, casually dressed, standing just a few feet away. There was something about him. Something so familiar, yet stubbornly out of reach in my memory.
A rush of questions filled my mind. Where do I know him from?
Is he a priest or teacher I once met? Someone from a documentary?
Wait… could he be an actor from a movie? No, not a Hollywood movie…
Then he stepped closer to greet me, breaking the spell with a warm smile.
He began talking about his work—how he’s involved in growing food, preparing it, sharing it with the community. And as he spoke, the fog in my memory began to lift.
“I feel like I know you,” I said, still puzzling it out. “But I can't remember from where…”
He smiled knowingly, as if he, too, sensed a connection.
And then, like the click of a puzzle piece snapping into place—it hit me.
“Wait a minute… are you from Edible York?”
His eyes lit up. “Yes, I am!”
“Yes!” I said, my voice rising with joy and relief. “You’re in my movie!”
He looked surprised, curious.
“I attended the York Environmental Week and visited the Autumn Fayre organized by St Nicks Environment Centre and Nature Reserve,” I explained, my words tumbling out like an excited storyteller. “You were there, showcasing Edible York’s work—letting people taste locally grown food, talking about community gardens. I interviewed you! You gave me a sample and spoke so passionately. I recorded the whole event for my sustainability film.”
The movie is here
His face softened with recognition and delight. “Wow… I remember that. That was such a good day.”
And just like that, a simple encounter at the food bank became a second meeting—months and memories apart, yet somehow perfectly aligned. It wasn’t déjà vu after all. It was real. A reconnection.
We laughed, and he introduced himself properly: “My name’s Bill.”
Before we parted, we stood together in front the Tang Hall gallery, the morning sun casting a gentle light. We captured the moment with a photograph—two people brought together once by purpose, and again by chance, held by the invisible threads of memory and meaning.
Gallery
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