A penny a day - redux.

In the pseudo-science of Numerology, one could say we are in The Year of a New Beginning.

That is to say, the year 2008 adds up to 2+0+0+8=10=1+0=1.

1 - a new beginning.

Some of my friends remember when I first made this numerological observation in the year 2006. That year happened to have added up to an "8", which signified (among other things) the "return of wealth" or return to wealth, or money. As it just so happens, that year saw one of my biggest windfalls in the US Stock Market. An experience that all-at-once awed me and humbled me. I learned quite a few things about financial markets that year, but also of a most curious side effect.

I began noticing, at odd times of the day or night, a penny.

Usually laying on the ground. At entirely random locations. And this was usually at the rate of about a penny-a-day.

At first, I was somewhat amused, and the thought of the "8" year was fresh in my mind, so I chalked it up to just being more observant.

But over time, I began to notice pennies at an increasing rate - something that made me question whether I was losing my sanity or not. A thought began to form in the back of my mind - "What if this goes on for a whole YEAR?!" And guess what? With the exception of maybe four weeks or so, it DID.

Around February of 2007, the pennies stopped showing up in my daily soujourns. Even though in some cases, I was actively searching for/waiting for a penny to show up in the periphery of my vision. In fact, one of the weirder episodes of "penny spotting" ocurred late one night as I was leaving work - in near pitch black darkness. If it wasn't for the glint of moonlight off the shiny penny laying about 30 feet from where I was walking, I would never have known.

Talk about your paranormal experience.

So flash-forward to the year 2008. The "new beginning".

Not much of a believer in established religion, but I was vaguely aware of what had happened with the pennies in 2006 (don't ask me about 2007). Obviously, it takes a bit of faith to believe that something other than blind luck was causing me to notice the pennies... But I'll leave that up to individual judgement, should a reader happen to stumble into the same karma one day.

So...

Here I am in 2008, experiencing an amazing change in my life (for the better - thank you!) and despite the overwhelming urge to accept the idea that Numerology somehow predicted this, it wasn't until I started noticing NICKELS and DIMES in the streets that I began to question my sanity once again!

I have just returned from a weekly run, during which I ran across not only a shiny silver nickel, but a copper (clad at least) penny!

This on the heels of finding a dime in the parking lot of a local merchant the other day.

I have no idea what, if anything, this all means.

My firm belief is that, like the pursuit of happiness, if you make it your obsessive goal in life - you will have NONE.

Better to leave serendipity alone and move forward.