I’ve almost died four times.
The first time, I was about four years old. I was with my mother and brother after eating at a restaurant. I started to run into the parking lot and was nearly struck by a car. At the last moment, my brother grabbed the back of my shirt and tackled me to safety.
More recently, I had another brush with death when I was diagnosed with cancer last year. Whether it was your own close call with death, a vivid dream of a departed loved one or witnessing the birth of a child, we’ve all had miraculous or inexplicable experiences, that left us awestruck and wondering, is there more to life than this?
I was raised in a family with deep Catholic roots. I went to Catholic schools from kindergarten until I graduated college. Yet, even steeped in this highly religious environment, I would consider myself a conflicted Catholic. Admittedly, while I pray daily and share my faith at home with my children, we do not frequently go to church. However, while I have outwardly questioned my faith at times, I have never abandoned my belief in God.
“One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most,
You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
Looking back on my life, there have been many times that my faith has been tested. However, like the poem beautifully illustrates, I feel intrinsically linked with the Lord. Sure, there were times when I questioned my faith and I lost my trust in the church. Yet, even in my lowest points, I have felt the grace of God with me.
One of the ways I am constantly reminded of this connection is through synchronicities. The term synchronicity was first coined by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung to describe a meaningful coincidence which seems to defy probability and “normal” explanations.
We’ve all had them – those moments when something happens that makes you ponder the role of design in the universe and your own place within it. Examples of synchronicity would be a random conversation between passersby that appear to address your own inner questions; sequences of events that completely escape a daily routine and lead you to unexpected new circumstances; or a music in the radio that accompanies a unique moment you’re experiencing. Synchronicities are events that occur and coincide together, related by meaning rather than a visible cause.
For about four years now, my husband and I have been seeing repeating number sequences like 11:11, 2:22, 4:44 every day. We often see repeating numbers when checking the time, on bills, license plates‒ you name it. We came to find that these are referred to as ‘Angel numbers’ and each number sequence carries its own meaning. It is said that angels and our spirit guides use these number sequences to guide us and let us know we are on the right spiritual path.
One of my favorite examples of embracing synchronicities occurred when we were house hunting. About 2.5 years ago, we came to the sad realization after the birth of our twins that we were quickly outgrowing our home. We loved our neighborhood and did not want our oldest to change schools, so we focused our intentions on finding a bigger home in the same neighborhood.
One Friday evening, I checked the local listings and found what I believed to be the perfect home in our neighborhood. It was beautifully remodeled with a gourmet kitchen, finished basement and all the other amenities we were searching for. We quickly reached out to the broker and scheduled a showing.
We were able to see the house during an open house the next day. As my husband and I toured the home, we just knew in our hearts this was our new home, the only catch was we knew it was going to sell fast. As my husband and I checked out the master bedroom, we were astonished to see one of our favorite pieces of artwork, the Singing Butler by Jack Vettriano hanging by the bed. It’s a beautiful painting depicting a man and woman dancing gracefully in the rain on a beach while their maid and butler hold umbrellas nearby.
Now, some would say that this a mere coincidence because that is a very popular painting. However, this painting holds a deeper meaning for me and my husband because he gave it to me for my birthday right after we began dating. I always felt this painting is a beautiful reminder that life is not always about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
As soon as we saw that painting, I told my husband to check the time. Sure enough, it was 1:11. We took this as a powerful sign that our angels were with us, helping to manifest our desires and make our move to a larger home a reality. And it worked! Despite having several full-price offers, some even over asking price, we got the house!
Now flash forward to November of 2017. I just received the news that my biopsy tested positive for Hodgkin lymphoma. I was speaking to the doctor who was treating me what I had suspected to be the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis. I was beyond scared and devastated by the news I had just received and was asking the doctor some follow up questions regarding my medication. The last thing he said before I hung up the phone was, “it’s going to be alright.” I hung up the phone and stared at the time. It was 4:44.
444 is a sign that your angels are with you. And boy, were they ever. As heartbroken as I was to receive the news that I had cancer, deep down I felt a sense of peace and I just knew in my heart that I would beat this.
I’ve always had a strong belief in angels and I have felt a special connection to Archangel Michael. I prayed to God and asked the intercession of Archangel Michael to help ease my fears regarding treatment. Almost immediately, I began seeing signs that Archangel Michael was indeed with me.
I saw it in the medical staff that was assigned to treat me:
The surgeon that performed the biopsy needed to diagnose the cancer was named Michael
The pathologist that read the biopsy and confirmed the diagnosis of classical Hodgkins was named Michelangelo
My primary infusion nurse is named Michael
Some would write this off as mere coincidence. But with all these so-called coincidences, I can see the deeper meaning, that God and the angels are always with us. You just need to open your mind and heart and soon you will also start seeing the signs.
God is always speaking to us, sending us little messages, causing coincidences and serendipities, reminding us to stop, look around and to believe in something else, something more. Because just like love and the wind were not made to be seen, some things don’t need to be seen to be powerfully felt.
Click here to read Part 2.