question: Write a short story in about 500 words that captures the essence of finding joy in a career unexpectedly. Include a title for the story wrapped in double angular brackets, i.e. <<title>>, and make sure the title appears at least once within the story itself.
answer: <<A Serendipitous Turn>>
  
  In the heart of a bustling city, surrounded by towering skyscrapers and the hum of endless traffic, there lived a young woman named Clara. For years, Clara had dutifully pursued a career in finance, a field she had been led to believe promised security and prestige. Each morning, she donned her tailored suits, grabbed her coffee, and blended into the throng of commuters heading towards the financial district. Despite her success, something was amiss. Her days were filled with numbers and spreadsheets, but her heart longed for something more.
  
  One windy autumn afternoon, Clara found herself aimlessly wandering through a quaint neighborhood she rarely visited. Her eyes were drawn to a small, colorful storefront with a sign that read, "The Artisan's Haven." Intrigued, she stepped inside, greeted by the comforting scent of wood and the soft glow of ambient lighting. The shop was filled with handcrafted pieces, from pottery to intricate jewelry, each item telling its own unique story.
  
  As Clara wandered through the aisles, she struck up a conversation with the shop owner, an elderly woman named Elsie. With a gentle smile and twinkling eyes, Elsie shared tales of the artisans who crafted each piece, people who had found joy in their work despite the unpredictability of their incomes. Clara listened intently, captivated by the stories of passion and creativity.
  
  Before she knew it, hours had passed, and the sun was beginning to set. Clara was about to leave when Elsie invited her to join a weekly pottery class held in the back of the shop. Hesitant but curious, Clara agreed. That evening, she found herself seated at a pottery wheel, her fingers submerged in cool, pliable clay.
  
  The first touch was electric. As the wheel spun beneath her hands, Clara felt an unexpected sense of calm and focus. She molded the clay, her movements tentative at first but growing more assured with each turn. Time seemed to slip away, and for the first time in a long while, she felt truly present.
  
  Over the following weeks, Clara returned to The Artisan's Haven, eagerly anticipating her pottery classes. She discovered a community of like-minded individuals, each sharing their own journey of finding joy in unexpected places. The shop became her sanctuary, a place where spreadsheets and deadlines ceased to exist.
  
  One evening, as she shaped a vase under Elsie's watchful eye, Clara realized she had found what had been missing all along. It wasn't the numbers or the prestige she craved, but the simple joy of creating something with her own hands. Her career in finance, once a source of pride, had become a mere backdrop to this newfound passion.
  
  With Elsie's encouragement, Clara began selling her pieces in the shop, each one a testament to her journey of self-discovery. Her heart, once burdened by the weight of unfulfilled expectations, was now light and free.
  
  In the quiet moments between shaping and glazing, Clara reflected on her path. She had stumbled upon this unexpected career shift by chance, a serendipitous turn that led her to embrace the joy she never knew she needed. And so, her story became one of finding happiness not in what she thought she wanted, but in what she had unknowingly been searching for all along. The essence of this transformation, captured in the words that danced in her heart: <<A Serendipitous Turn>>.