Dear Reader,

While I suppose it is possible that I am the only one who looks for “signs” on New Year’s Day, knowing y’all, I somehow doubt I am alone in this!

Some years have seen me proclaim A Word For The Year, and others have had me drawing Medicine Cards, but this year was different. This year, I invited my “signs” to arrive in a different way: I asked for them to appear on my morning walk.

Now here’s the thing.

I had expectations.

I had a LOT of expectations.

I assumed there would be a feather…maybe a heart-shaped rock…perhaps even some rabbit poop or some other form of natural goodness left behind by a wayward animal.

Alas, despite my expectations and all of my assumptions, not one of these things was discovered by me as I made my way through the quiet streets of my hometown, me, my dog, and my husband.

About 2 km into the walk, I grew tired of staring at the ground. By 3 km in, I had kind of forgotten that I was even supposed to be looking. 

We came to a street corner and suddenly I had a memory pop in: Once, at this very corner, I was startled to discover about 300 roofing nails scattered across the intersection. I reminded my husband about it, both of us remembering how we’d wished we’d had a big magnet at the time so we could quickly gather them up and get the road cleared from what was a real hazard for cars, kids and dogs alike.

And that’s when I saw it: Not a feather. Not a rock. Not the beautiful blue shell of a robin’s egg. But instead, it was a Lug Nut – bright and silver and gleaming at me from the side of the road.

Oh, but surely this couldn’t be A Sign for me for 2024. I mean, how bizarre!

A quick gut-check and I knew: Yes, this was for me. I placed it ceremoniously in my pocket.

Sign Two came shortly thereafter: Two brand-new Screws were suddenly underfoot as I crossed to the other side of the street. Well, thought I, if a Lug Nut can be A Sign, why not Two Screws? And into my pocket they went.

Admittedly some stories started creeping into my Mind at this point – my Monkey Mind, to be clear, that part of my Mind that harbours Doubt and enjoys playing the Shame Game with a side of Master Catastrophe. 

“Ha! This is purely the Universe telling you that you’ve got a couple screws loose!” 

“I think these are Signs that your whole freaking world is going to fall apart this year and you’re gonna need all the hardware you can get just to try and hold it together.” 

“Lug Nut? LUGNUT!! OH MY GOD MY KID’S GONNA LOSE A TIRE AND END UP DEAD!”

And then…

And…then…

So lost in my Monkey Mind was I that I almost missed the significance of it at first and indeed almost stepped on it: There was Sign Three.

A round, blue, soggy sticker with a bee on it and the iconic words: “Don’t worry. Bee Happy.”

Is it okay to admit to you that I got tears in my eyes at that moment as I stood, stock-still, staring down at the sidewalk?

Monkey Mind grew quiet. 

The whole world stopped.

And I stooped to pick up the sticker, prayers of thanks on my lips.

When I returned home, I took these objects and carefully laid them on my Altar. It felt strange at first to see these metal, machine-made items laying among my stones and crystals, hawk’s wings and bone rattles. Even now as I type and glance over, they seem somehow out-of-place and yet perfectly-placed all at once.

And how have I come to reconcile these unexpected Signs with what I believe 2024 may have in store for me?

Well, that didn’t come easy, and, I think it may well be a work in progress but here’s what I’ve got so far:

Discount Tire tells us that, “In short, lug nuts are the hardware used to secure your wheel and tire assembly to your vehicle. Having the correct lug nut ensures that your wheel is safely and securely installed. They may be small, but they perform a really big job.”

So. Without Lug Nuts, those big wheels would not keep turning! The Universe gave me a small but important piece of hardware to ensure that I had the exact size Lug Nut I was going to need to keep my wheels turning this year. Safely. And securely.

Imagine that!

And the Screws? Wonderopolis says of the mighty screw, “Screws help to hold things together, such as pieces of wood or metal. Compared to ordinary nails, screws provide more strength and holding power.”

Fabulous! 

I have been given a gift of not one but two Screws to help me to keep things together this year. And not just some random nail – pfft! No! I was given Screws – stronger, more powerful, and also, in case you haven’t looked at one recently, they have spirals on them (insert cheeky smile of delight because, well, spirals are just the ticket, aren’t they? Fascinating, indeed!)

And the soggy Sticker?

Well, methinks that’s pretty self-explanatory. This year, for me, will be about leaning into the strength and power and security and safety provided me by The Universe such that I can worry less, and embrace that ever-delightful state of Happiness.

Happy 2024, Dear Reader.

May your year be filled with delights beyond your wildest imaginings,

Rebecca