Do you believe in signs?

[hawaiianorangetree]

6 years ago I flew out of heathrow airport the day after the bombing scare that closed the airport down. I was pretty scared to fly and I asked my boyfriend that had died a few months before to watch over me. His name was Steve and every movie I watched on the way home had a character named Steve in it. The most memorable being the childrens movie Over The Hedge. The hedges name was Steve. I felt comforted and reassured that he was there keeping me safe on that long flight home.

Today my daughter had a freak accident at school, she fell over and her hand landed on a piece of wire that went in through her hand and clean out the other side. It was thick wire too, with a plastic coating, oh yeah and it was still attached to the fence. The poor love, they had to call the ambulance and cut her off of the fence and took her to hospital. We were transferred to a different hospital where we were seen by a hand specialist and plastic surgeon. They had to operate and she was pretty distraught when she went in. I was so worried about her while she was under, Thank goodness it didn't take long and there was no nerve or tendon damage. I went up to recovery to see her and there she was lying in bed watching the TV in the corner that was playing Over The Hedge.

It's giving me shivers and making me tear up when I think about it, and I really believe that it was a sign from Steve telling me that he was there looking over her today.

 

[dragonfly411]

Yes, I believe in them, and that would give me goosebumps as well!

 

[moosemom]

I believe in them too. Your story did give me a chill too. Here is hoping for an easy recover for your daughter and also that Steve continues to watch over you and your family.

 

[yennyfire]

Yes, I believe in signs too! I'm so glad that your daughter is going to be OK and that Steve is watching over both of you!

 

[kenny]

No.

My life is complete and wonderful enough with only things I can be reasonably sure of.
But hey, people vary.

 

[partgypsy]

Sometimes premonitions are not such great things. I was in a really weird tearful mood driving to see my family including my father in August for vacation. When driving back embarrassed I tried to explain to my husband that I had this bad feeling, that maybe this will be the last time I'll see my Dad (he is old but in good health), and my husband responds I'm being over emotional. The thing is, I'm not an overly emotional person. The way I was feeling was uncharacteristic.

Well found out a few days ago my Dad is in the hospital, and it may be cancer. Cropped out of nowhere. They are also worried about his heart. My husband even remembered me saying this, and I said well I hope my premotion is NOT correct. In fact I might fly up there within the next month regardless of what the doctors say because I want to see him.

 

[junebug17]

Yes, I believe in signs, and I think your experience is a good example of one HOT. Some will argue coincidence, and I have no way to disprove that, but in your case it's an awful lot of coincidence and I am (just) open minded enough to consider another possibility. I'm really glad your daughter is ok, what a scary experience for everybody!

Part-gypsy: I'm so sorry to hear about your father's health issues. Sending healing dust and positive thoughts your way ((hugs))

 

[ksinger]

Humans have a deep need for meaning and significance. If it isn't there we will try to get it however we can. We adore patterns, even ones that aren’t there. Attributing meaning to external events is a time-honored tradition - earthquakes, floods, etc. But the meaning comes from inside US, not from outside, otherwise, everyone would see things the same way.

I just really don't believe there is someONE out THERE making signs for ME. There are events that were extremely significant to me at the time, but I always attribute significance to where I was/am in my life, not to supernatural "signs". They don't gain some greater caché or greater significance if I believe that events are initiated by supernatural means, which is of course, what we are really talking about here.

So my desires aside, no, I don’t believe in signs.

 

[Indylady]

HOT--lots of healing dust to your DD. It is heartwarming to hear about a loved one watch over you; I believe too.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Thank you moosemom yennyfire and junebug for the wellwishes for my little girl. We spent a long sleepless night in the hospital but she is feeling better this morning. She is building engagement rings on an app on the iPad as I type.

DF i just read your updated thread and your stories gave me goosbumps.

Part gypsy, if you can swing it, please go see your dad. I have ignored my internal signs enough in the past and regretted it that I now make sure I listen and act on them. Sending lots of healing vibes to your dad.

Ksinger, that's an interesting POV you have on signs. Although I think of him often I dont normally look for or see any signs. Lately I have been feeling that he was long gone because there haven't been any in a couple of years. But I always smile and think of him and that day when I see that particular movie and seeing it yesterday after being in distress was significant to me.

ETA: thank you Indy as well.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I believe that people see what they need to see, when they need to see it. Is it fate? Maybe? Or it could very well be the same trigger like when you buy a new blue car and suddenly there are a lot of blue cars on the road...

 

[Haven]

HOT--I hope your daughter has a smooth and fast recovery.

I don't believe in signs, but I *do* believe that the way we interpret them gives us insight into whatever it is that we need at a given moment. So, I think our recognition of them is important, even if I don't believe that someone is actually out there leaving them for us to find.

 

[kenny]

Humans have a deep need for meaning and significance. If it isn't there we will try to get it however we can. We adore patterns, even ones that aren’t there. Attributing meaning to external events is a time-honored tradition - earthquakes, floods, etc.

Some humans do that, sure.
Not everyone.
Not me.

Sometimes an earthquake is just an earthquake and cancer is just cancer.
They are the result of geological and biological processes.
Physics, math, science can explain stuff, but meaning is made up and agreed with by those who participate, which admittedly is probably over half the population.

I'm at peace with assigning no meaning to such stuff.
Frankly I do not consider myself to be significant or important in the scheme of things.
I just get a wondrous 78-year long ride.
Then I will die and turn to dust.
That, I'm sure of.

A few of us are at peace with merely what we can be rationally sure of, and for me this is not only enough it is fantastic.
The beauty of a sunrise, a hug from my snookums, or a mouthful of tender braised Salmon with rosemary AHHHHHH!. . . who needs made up stuff when real life is so fantastic?

People vary.
You can believe whatever you want but your post states your views about deep need for meaning and significance apply to everyone.
Not so.
Don't speak for me, and I won't speak for you.

 

[kenny]

I realize my views are not shared by the majority.
No problem.
I recently came across a 10-minute animated video and, while I don't agree with all of it, I was astonished how well it articulates many of my views.

Watch it in 720HD.
NSFW due to very harsh language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGuXCuDb1U

 

[nkarma]

Yes I do. I experienced something similar.

I have 3 much older sisters who I did not grow up with and see every few years and a younger sister I see often. My father passed away VERY suddenly in 2001. At his funeral, my sisters and my stepmom decided to play two songs that totally represent my dad at his funeral "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "American Pie."

A few years later, all five of my father's daughters got together one summer evening for the first time and only time since his death. We were playing an old card game that my father taught us all and I rarely get to play because no one of my generation knows how to play it. When I was a child all of us used to spend hours and hours playing this game. We wouldn't sleep some nights. My father would get very impatient when he repeatedly get bad cards, but this is an aside.

So we are playing the card game together for the first and only time since his death 10 years ago. In the background, in my sister's home was the TV station sounds of the 70s. What song comes on but "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and directly after that "American Pie" in the exact same order as my dad's funeral. Yes very likely a coincidence but the craziest one I have ever had in my life by far.

 

[marcy]

I hope your daughter has a speedy recovery.

I don't know if signs are real or not but there are sure some weird coincidences in life.

 

[ksinger]

Humans have a deep need for meaning and significance. If it isn't there we will try to get it however we can. We adore patterns, even ones that aren’t there. Attributing meaning to external events is a time-honored tradition - earthquakes, floods, etc.

Some humans.
Not everyone.
Not me.

Sometimes an earthquake is just an earthquake and cancer is just cancer.
They are the result of geological and biological processes.
Physics, math, science can explain stuff, but meaning is made up and agreed with by those who participate, which admittedly is probably over half the population.

I'm at peace with assigning no meaning.
I do not consider myself to be significant or important in the scheme of things.
I just get a wondrous 78-year long ride.
Then I will die and turn to dust.
That, I'm sure of.

A few of us are at peace with merely what we can be rationally sure of, and for me this is not only enough it is fantastic.
The beauty of a sunrise, a hug from my snookums, or a mouthful of tender braised Salmon with rosemary AHHHHHH!. . . who needs made up stuff when real life is so fantastic?

People vary.
You can believe whatever you want but your post states your views about deep need for meaning and significance apply to everyone.
Not so.
Don't speak for me, and I won't speak for you.

Oh fer cryin' out loud....

1) Yes Kenny. Virtually every post you make contains the idea that YOU are different from every single other person living or dead on the planet throughout the whole of human history. You stand far removed from being like any human ever. We get it. Really. You are utterly different. Exactly like everyone else.

2) I did NOT state a view that says everyONE has a deep need for meaning. YOU are the one who reads it - wrongly most of the time - that anyone who makes anything resembling a generalization MUST include every single solitary person who every breathed. From YOUR perspective there are no generalizations allowed, ever, not even as the useful kind of conversational shorthand that they can be. Virtually every post you make allows no one to talk about humans in a group of any kind whatsoever without getting all prim. Well, here's a newsflash - I can use the term "humans" and have it (wait for it....) just as easily be assumed that it actually includes some VARIATION! Amazing isn't it?? That the term "humans" can contain workable generalization AND variation in the context of how it's used? I'd say you need to work on reading that context, but I suspect you can do it well enough, and just like to try to pick apart wording for the fun of it.

Humans DO have human characteristics - just like you can point to a canine having canine characteristics. One of them - well documented across recorded and unrecorded human history - is the need to attribute meaning to things that don't have it. Just because YOU don't personally meet that criteria (nor do I for that matter) does not mean that I can't - and believe me I will - ALL DAY LONG - make generalizations about HUMANS. Good ones. Ones that actually WORK the majority of the time. Outliers on a Bell curve don't make a it go away or lose usefulness as a descriptive and/or predictive tool. Deal with it.

3) People vary. Really???

4) Bit of unsolicited career advice if you ever decide to start a new one? Avoid statistician, criminal profiler, or anthropologist.

 

[susimoo]

Hot

I am so glad your daughter is ok!!!

I got goosebumps reading your original post. I do believe that sometimes things just come together and give us the reassurance we need. Who and what, I don't know, but it has happened to me.

 

[missy]

I sort of do though Karen certainly does make a good argument for not believing in them. My dh feels the way Karen does but I am still not totally convinced there is no such thing...

HOT, I am so glad your daughter is going to make a full recovery...sending good wishes her way!

part gypsy, I am so sorry about your dad and I am sending PS dust his way!

 

[luv2sparkle]

HOT, I am glad your daughter is okay and there was no nerve damage! That is so very scary to be sure.

 

[luv2sparkle]

HOT, I am glad your daughter is okay and there was no nerve damage! That is so very scary to be sure.

 

[somethingshiny]

I believe in signs. I believe lots of strange things are happening all the time and if we would just be aware of them, we'd be amazed at what we would see.

 

[partgypsy]

Well, my Dad was discharged (finally!). He is on 4 new medications, both antibiotics and ones for his heart. My sister (who lives near him) said that he is out of danger and there is no need to visit at this time. My husband also feels I should stick by home, so I don't know what to do. The other funny thing was I lost my driver's license (which I have never done before). I'm getting a replacement but it will take 10 days to arrive, so obviously no booking of planes last minute. I haven't had time to think but this weekend I'll decide what I'll do.

I am a scientist and skeptic at heart. I do believe in coincidences (that is, that they happen, with no greater meaning), But I have also had coincidences that have affected me emotionally. The above was one. Another one is one hearing the news that my cat, after days of being missing, had been killed. It was shocking, because both my husband and I had HEARD meowing, coming from somewhere we could not locate AFTER the day our cat was reportedly killed. We even looked in our attic, in the basement, garbage containers thinking maybe the cat the trapped somewhere.
After I got the news I was heartbrokedn and put on a Johnny Cash album and listened to it while having a good cry. At the song "Peace in the Valley", the album suddenly stuck on "and the lion- and the lion- and the lion-" until I got up, walked over and tapped the stylus, hearing the rest of the line "laid down with the lamb".
The weird thing is that the album has never skipped on the spot before or since. And though it was a coincidence it did feel like a message from my cat, and it comforted me.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am so glad your daughter is okay. How scary for you both!!!

I do believe in signs. Too many things have happened that are too powerful to ignore. I never noticed them until I became open and willing to believe in something more powerful than myself. I call them God winks.

 

[Pandora II]

Humans have a deep need for meaning and significance. If it isn't there we will try to get it however we can. We adore patterns, even ones that aren’t there. Attributing meaning to external events is a time-honored tradition - earthquakes, floods, etc.

Some humans do that, sure.
Not everyone.
Not me.

Sometimes an earthquake is just an earthquake and cancer is just cancer.
They are the result of geological and biological processes.
Physics, math, science can explain stuff, but meaning is made up and agreed with by those who participate, which admittedly is probably over half the population.

I'm at peace with assigning no meaning to such stuff.
Frankly I do not consider myself to be significant or important in the scheme of things.
I just get a wondrous 78-year long ride.
Then I will die and turn to dust.
That, I'm sure of.

A few of us are at peace with merely what we can be rationally sure of, and for me this is not only enough it is fantastic.
The beauty of a sunrise, a hug from my snookums, or a mouthful of tender braised Salmon with rosemary AHHHHHH!. . . who needs made up stuff when real life is so fantastic?

People vary.
You can believe whatever you want but your post states your views about deep need for meaning and significance apply to everyone.
Not so.
Don't speak for me, and I won't speak for you.

This... although being female gets me a few extra years than you Kenny!

 

[arjunajane]

Humans have a deep need for meaning and significance. If it isn't there we will try to get it however we can. We adore patterns, even ones that aren’t there. Attributing meaning to external events is a time-honored tradition - earthquakes, floods, etc. But the meaning comes from inside US, not from outside, otherwise, everyone would see things the same way.

I just really don't believe there is someONE out THERE making signs for ME. There are events that were extremely significant to me at the time, but I always attribute significance to where I was/am in my life, not to supernatural "signs". They don't gain some greater caché or greater significance if I believe that events are initiated by supernatural means, which is of course, what we are really talking about here.

So my desires aside, no, I don’t believe in signs.

This is how I feel on the topic, so I will ditto Ksinger as she's said it well and I'm lazy - however, I do believe (more so these days than I did a few years back), that nearly everything happens for a reason..
That is kind of along the same discussion path, I thought..?