If You See a Coin, Pick it up, Then All Day You'll Have Good Luck

This was something I’d intended on blogging about at the very beginning of my sojourn, but I never did. So, I’m going to back-peddle and reminisce about something special that happened to me. I know some people may find it hokey, but I have to remind myself that I am not writing for “some people”; I’m writing for myself. ☺

First, a preamble: I will have you know that I’ve always had this thing with numbers. I believe that numbers play a large part in the way of the world; probably in such a way that we will never fully understand. I think numbers have meaning; at least, in my own life, they have proved to hold very deep meaning.

Prelude number two: My dad passed away about 8 1/2 years ago. He had been a very important person in my life, to put it ever so lightly. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of him, missed him, wished he were still here. And every once in a while, when I put my life on pause to take a strong look at it, I wonder what Dad would say about things I’m doing, paths that I’ve chosen. Even now, after so many years have passed, I still long for his advice…

And now, my story…

My first week in South Korea was spent at the Hyundai Learning Center, a couple of hours away from the city of Seoul, for Orientation. The first morning I awoke in the Land of Morning Calm, I was alone in my room, since my roommate hadn’t yet arrived. I stepped out onto the balcony to take in the mountainous view and as soon as I looked out, it hit me that I was on the other side of the Earth, far from anything remotely familiar to me. I chuckled aloud and said to myself, “What the hell am I doing in South Korea?! Have I lost it?!” Although a slight panic shimmied through me in an electrifying way, I carried on with the day, secretly wrestling Anxiety.

We’d had time gaps between the mandatory meetings for Orientation, so a few of us decided to take advantage of that free time and venture “to town.” After the short bus ride and a leisurely walk, we happened to stumble upon what appeared to be a shrine of some sort. There was a fence around it but it wasn’t locked, so we thought we’d go in to take a look. The place might have been a small cemetery since there were headstone-looking blocks neatly spaced on the ground. (?) It was really neat to see the shrine and to examine the things that had been left behind; I assume they were gifts either offered to honor Buddha (since there was a statue of him there) or for the people who were buried there. (I’m not certain on any of this; that is merely my perception of what it might have been.)

We traipsed around a bit before continuing our stroll, and as I was moseying out of the fenced-in area, watching the ground closely so as to not step on any might-be graves, I spotted something shiny on the ground. Realizing it was a coin, I stooped down to pick it up. It was the first Korean coin I’d ever touched, or even seen for that matter, since the money I had exchanged at the airport was all in bills. Low and behold, I looked at the year of the coin and it read 1999. Immediately, I thought of my dad, because that was the year that he died. At once, I felt a feeling of serenity sweep over my body, and it was then that I had my answer: “No, I’m not crazy for hopping on a plane and sacrificing a year of my life in a foreign country; I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I’m here for a reason, and Dad is with me.” I truly felt, at that moment, that in some way, Dad was offering encouragement and support, and that made me feel much better about my decision to come here. I kissed Anxiety on the forehead and bid her adieu and haven’t looked back at her since.

The angel and devil on my shoulders quickly argued back and forth as to whether or not I should keep the coin, and I didn’t want to listen to the bickering or wait around to find out who won the spat, but instead I listened to my Id and kept the coin. I told myself that it was probably not a gift someone had left behind, yet mistakenly dropped, since it was near the fence and not near the shrine or near any tombstones.

(I keep that coin in my tennis shoe, and I think of that situation every time I put them on.)

Another strange thing about this trip so far is that one of the gals whom I have befriended found out that she’s pregnant. No, no, no she didn’t get knocked up by a Korean dude, and I doubt that it was an immaculate conception. She was pregnant before coming here; she just didn’t know it until recently. (How’s that for timing?!) When she shared the news with me, I congratulated her and asked when her due date was. In the few short moments when she was recalling the exact date the doctor had given her, racing through my head was, “She’s going to say April 29th. She’s going to say April 29th. She’s going to say April 29th.” Take a guess at what date she revealed to me? Yep, you guessed it right – April 29th…the date of my father’s death.

Once again, I felt a sense of serenity wisp over me… Crazy as it may sound...

Sure, it’s possible that the “numbers” thing that goes on in my head is merely coincidental.

But a big part of me hopes that it isn’t.