by Karen Frazier, Managing Editor
Paranormal Underground

Darn it. I missed the portal that opened up at 12:34:56 this morning. I was sound asleep. I probably missed something good.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you probably haven’t turned on your TV, your radio, read your newspaper, or browsed to news websites. It’s 7/8/09, folks. That’s right 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9. What are the odds?

Pretty good, actually. Twice today, as a matter of fact.

At 12:34:56 this afternoon, I’ll be waiting to see what happens. I’ll let you know if its anything good. Unless I get sucked into a vortex or something.

We give a lot of significance to numbers. Heck – there’s a whole branch of mysticism devoted to it. Numerology. It’s fun to play with. Take a look at the general statements about your number and see if they apply to you.

In 2002, I was driving in to work on September 11. I stopped at a store to grab some caffeine, and the two employees were talking solemnly about the date. When I got to the counter, my purchase rang up. It was $9.10.

“Wow,” one of the girls said. “That is really spooky. It’s almost $9.11.”

I had to wonder how many times she was spooked that day. $11.90…”freaky – 9/11 backwards” $29.11 – “OMG – it has 9/11 in it,” $9.12 – “wow – the day after 9/11. What are the odds?”

There is something out there right now called the 11:11 phenomena. Google 1111 and you’ll see what I mean.

On a page devoted to 11:11, this is what I found:

“How often have you noticed the numbers 11:11, 12:12, 10:10, 22:22, 12:34, 2:22, 3:33, 4:44 or 5:55 popping up all over the place? These number sequences are not necessarily only time prompts. They can also be number sequences, like 333, 1111 etc. To your mind, is this a coincidence, or are they too frequent to be random? Perhaps you are puzzled or amused by this phenomenon? Possibly even a little bit nervous? The question everyone is asking is ‘What does 11:11 mean?’ and ‘Is there a reason for this?’ And there certainly is.”

What is that reason you ask? According to the site, just little reminders from your spirit guardians.

I actually saw one person say this. “I see 11:11 on my clock at least twice a day every day!!! Not only that, but it is everywhere – my microwave, my VCR and my cable box!”

I can only hope that person was joking. Or maybe not.

It’s not that I am saying that numbers can’t be significant. Just that the odds are pretty good that from time to time I’m going to come across numbers on my clocks, calendars and sales receipts that match other dates or numbers of significance. Aren’t I?

I married my ex-husband on the 13th. Should I have known the marriage was doomed?

Just yesterday, I spent $12.34 at a local Starbucks. I managed to hold it together until I was clear of the registers.

I’m not ridiculing people who see significance in numbers. Really, I’m not. All sorts of things can have meaning for people – and if those things serve as reminders to you and lift you up, then that is terrific.

Still, I think that there is plenty of magic to be found in life without having to see a clock turn over to 2:22 to tune into it. Stop in this moment and pay attention. Surely there is something around you that is beautiful. Just sitting here in my living room, I see my dogs. I see my boys. I see my musical instruments. I see the valley below out the windows. An hour ago, I was at the eye doctor’s office. There were plants. There were people working to help others. At the grocery store shortly thereafter, a girl stretched to a top shelf to help a little old lady reach something. My UPS driver smiled and waved at me as I was driving home.

There is beauty everywhere. If you take the time to pause and become immersed in your experience, you will find it. Even in the “ugliest” environment – there is something there that is unspeakably beautiful. You just need to find it. If you are in that environment, then I would suggest that the thing that is unspeakably beautiful is you. So there you go. Where ever you go, beauty exists. Even if the clock merely says 3:19 and your receipt is for $15.82. Imagine that.