What Are the Odds
A certain blogging
friend often sees ladybugs. These
sightings remind her of her mother who had a history with ladybugs. I often see the digital clock when it hits
the time 11:11. I have been told this is a sign that our loved ones of times past
are still with us. (See 11:11 http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2015/07/1111.html
).
Seems silly
doesn’t it. Many of us probably often
see ladybugs and think nothing of it. As
a matter of fact, the last two weeks while on vacation I saw ladybugs several
times. They were on the pattern of the
china on our cruise ship (I almost called it a boat, I think Skip would have
called me on that), and I saw them on several tourist tchotchkes in souvenir
shops. I’m sure I wouldn’t have noticed
them except for a certain Valedictorian.
If our loved
ones wanted to make their presence known, surely they would leave a sign that
was a bit more obvious than ladybugs, or the 11:11 time.
Today, the
first day back from our trip to Alaska, I descended to my basement man-cave to catch
up on my guitar practice. In the basement,
we have three clocks. Two are analog,
and one is digital. One analog clock has
no battery and always reads 10:15. The other analog clock has not been moved
forward for daylight savings time. As I
sat down and tuned my guitar, I looked to check out the time. I first looked at the battery-less clock
reading 10:15, I realized this was not a working clock and looked at the other
analog clock. It also read 10:15. What
are the odds that I would check the time when the working non-adjusted clock
read the exact same time as the non-working clock? Was this a sign?
Ridiculous.
I then
looked at the digital clock on the TV cable box, a time which is always
accurate.
The moment I
looked at this clock, the last digit rolled over to show the correct time was 11:11.
What are the
odds?
Mom; Pop; Jim?
Mom; Pop; Jim?
What are the odds I'd call you out for caling the cruise ship a boat?
ReplyDeleteAbout 3:1
Ain't happening tonight.
The day after my mom died back in 2006, I was working and I heard a bird. I looked out the window and there was a hawk on the brick wall between our house and the house next door. Never saw a hawk there before or after. But I knew that hawk was sent by God to comfort me about my mom's passing. I started seeing hawks a lot after that and it was always during times I needed confirmation about something or needed a touch from God. I could go weeks without seeing one, but then during a time of doubt, worry, stress, etc., I would see one. Hubby had a similar experience with blue herons. He would see the blue herons where he walked the corgi. The weekend after his dad died, we were parking at church. The church we went to met at a high school. I looked over and said to him "that's a blue heron" (we were about 5 miles from where he would normally see them on his walks.) He confirmed it. I knew God had sent that blue heron. I still see hawks, not as often now being in Phoenix, but when I see them I know God is letting me know its going to be alright. No matter what is going on. So for me, its not a coincidence or odds. Just confirmation.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite number to see on the clock is 12:34.
betty
Well, I dunno, maybe there is something in it. Buy a lottery ticket.
ReplyDeleteI don't think times are special for me, but certain dates are. I guess that's obvious, isn't it? It's an interesting topic, though, I must come back and see what your other readers say.
ReplyDeleteI've known other people like Betty, who believe certain birds are sent. I've never noticed anything!
ReplyDeleteCindy's Cousins wife had a butterfly land next to her shortly after her Dad passed away, she was at her parents home at the time, then she noticed a butterfly at her house, now every butterfly is a reminder of her Dad, I like the way Betty described it, "its not a coincidence or odds. Just confirmation." this is comforting.
ReplyDeleteI do connect certain birds with people I have lost....we always say wild turkeys on our way to see Dad in the year before he passed so when I do see them, I think of Dad. Mom loved hummingbirds and I always think of her when I see them. When our friend Mal died in hospital his room looked out on a rookery so when I see crows I think of him. I don't think they show up on purpose but they are a lovely remembrance. The time thing? That's just spooky.
ReplyDeleteI'm not superstitious so I can't relate. Well, wait, sometimes when I am running and listening to music, I'll think to myself that something awful is going to happen in my life if I don't reach this driveway or tree before, the guitar solo comes in.
ReplyDeleteI guess that is superstition, sort of.
I connect 1111 with the day that the Lou Reed/Metallica album came out in 2011. Some old dead rocker should have spoken to them from the past and told them not to do that album...
All these things are what you want them to be. That's what I always say when these things happen to me.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
I agree!!
DeleteI have to agree with Sandee. And sometimes I do want them to be .. something. And so they are.
ReplyDeleteThe human mind and the universe are wondrous things.
ReplyDeleteSo THAT'S why I haven't been getting my signs lately! My mom went on vacation with you! Her brother used to live in Alaska. We took a family vacation there once.
ReplyDeleteI actually had a post started about pennies from heaven on Saturday, but I shelved it until today. You are the one who tipped me off to the 11:11 phenomenon. I definitely understand what those bird-seeing commenters are talking about, except I see the ladybugs, not birds.
Interesting topic, although i'm not so sure i believe in such signs.
ReplyDeleteOver the past 20 years I've bought probably several hundred lottery tickets, and so far I haven't won diddly squat. Not even a consolation prize. Nothing. What are the odds of that you think?
ReplyDeleteI pretty much believe. Easier than thinking it is always a coincidence. My niece sees rainbows where there is no reason for one to be and thinks of her Dad. Kind of wish I had such signs.
ReplyDeleteDo do doo do, do do doo do (theme from Twilight zone.)
ReplyDeleteThat is too freaking weird.
That's freaky.
ReplyDeleteOnce, we stored our motorhome on the Sacramento Delta. We would go the weekends, and hang out. One weekend, we opened the door to the motorhome and we were swarmed by millions of ladybugs. Now I like ladybugs, but NOT that many! We had them in the cupboards, drawers, the toilet. For 3 weekends, we battled those ladybugs, the humane way, until we had it.
After the dirty deed was done, we kept finding dead ladybugs for a few years after.
I never thought of them being "signs" from the dead....Maybe we should be worried?
Heh, heh! I don't think you have to worry! My mom had them in the drop-ceiling of her family room. We used to tease her about it, because she wouldn't call an exterminator. If she saw too many, she vacuumed them with her Dustbuster and set them free outside. She said, "They go back in the ceiling at night. They don't bother me." Every time I see a ladybug now, I think of her.
DeleteLadybugs are a sign of good luck in Germany. I especially like the chocolate ladybugs that are in the stores for New Year's.
ReplyDeleteI recently had 77,777 miles on my car's odometer and 777.7 miles on the trip odometer. I still could kick myself that I forgot to buy a lottery ticket that day.
The odds of looking at your clock at 11:11? Uh...1 in 720, maybe?
I believe in signs. For me it's white feathers that are found whenever we think of my nephew who passed away at age 18. I guess we'll really never know for sure but as long as it makes us feel good and connected to those who have gone before us it can't be a bad thing!
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I have definitely recurring signs from above. I've come to consider seeing a bunny as a sign of good luck for the day - we've had them showing up in our neighborhood with regularity for a few years now - but that's mostly because I generally saw them the first few times just before I played ball and I always seemed to get a few hits those days, so... I do believe I absolutely once received a sign from God when I asked for it. It was shortly after My Dad's passing. His name was Tom, and I asked for a sign that he was OK in the afterlife. I turned on the radio and there was a preacher giving a sermon about Saint Thomas. No doubt about that one.
ReplyDelete