• The Seagull (Grrrrr…)

    If you’ve ever gotten annoyed at those pesky birds who are constantly trying to grab your food as you eat by the beach, then boy, do I have a story for you!

    This summer I went to visit my sister Stephanie at her lovely Cape Cod house. Each time I make the journey to visit her, I always order half a dozen gluten free muffins from a bake shop about 15 minutes from her house. I am gluten free and it is rare that I can get delicious muffins like these, so I buy them, eat one right away and then take the rest home to freeze and enjoy later.

    As per my tradition, I took the muffins right to a lovely bluff by the Chatham lighthouse to eat my muffin on a bench there. My sister was standing to the right of the bench and I had the muffin in my hand, mid-bite when all of a sudden from the left I felt….WHACK!!! A big object hit my jaw and cheek at full speed and took the muffin right out of my hand and MOUTH! And of course, we all know what the flying object was…a very aggressive seagull!

    After getting over the shock of realizing it was indeed a seagull who had body-slammed my cheek and jaw and then stole the food out of my mouth mid-bite, I looked on the ground near me and there was a chunk of the muffin still on the sandy soil. Stuck upright in the middle of it was a gull feather, standing proud like a birthday candle! Yuck! Before I could snap a photo of that fine feast for the senses (?!?), the gull swooped back and grabbed that last vestige of my gluten free breakfast! (However, I did get a photo later of that bold bird, atop a “danger” sign on the bluffs. However it should have instead read, “Danger, do NOT even think about eating anything on this bench!”)

    When I returned home and told my friend Diana the whole outrageous story, she suggested I look up what seagulls symbolize, since it seemed like the Universe was clearly trying to get my attention. Here is what we found in Angelical Balance blog:

    The seagull symbolizes “spiritual charge and motivation. If you’ve been asking questions about diving timing, the seagull is the perfect answer for you. With the seagull, you will understand that it is time to fulfill your destiny. There is no need to wait anymore. The diving timing is NOW.”

    9 Seagull Spiritual Meanings and Symbolism: it’s Good Luck?

    Well, for years, I have been putting off getting my stories about personal symbols out into the world even though I have always “known” this is something I must do. And so here I am, happily blogging away and telling you my true tales, finally, about how roses (part 1 and 2), the Eiffel Tower, cardinals, and yes, even a pesky seagull, have guided me on my path at critical times. Sometimes this has been accomplished subtly and sometimes this has been done by knocking the food right out of my mouth while I quietly ate a gluten free muffin on a bluff in Cape Cod. 

    For there is “no coincidence” when it comes to the wisdom that personal symbols can provide us all.

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  • Confirming Cardinals

    Recently, I had been feeling the need, post-pandemic, to get out in social environments and to volunteer at a non-profit. As a high school English teacher, my weekends are very full of schoolwork during the school year. However, I have been realizing that I need a bit of balance in my life – and to get away from my desk and computer on weekends.

    You probably know someone who has cardinals as one of their personal symbols since cardinals are one of the most universal signs. It has been said that when “cardinals appear, a loved one is near.” This is especially comforting to those who have had loved ones pass. In another sense, cardinals also represent perseverance (the red, male cardinals) and following your intuition/your gut (the light, female cardinals.) 

    For weeks, I posed the question to friends: where do you think I should volunteer? The consensus was at a place involved with history (which I love and also teach in academic support) and in nearby New York City. The next question was: exactly where should I throw my hat into the ring, with my limited time resources? Hmmm…hard decision since there are so many possibilities in NYC. 

    To try to solve this conundrum, my friend Sahrena and I had one day planned to go into NYC and explore a particular historical museum to see if it’d be a good fit for me to volunteer. However, we discovered at the last minute that the museum was closed that day. I started thinking: what kinds of things did I used to love doing when I had time, prior to teaching? Right away, I knew it: I love being on any kind of boat or vessel since I wrote about cruise ships for 20 years prior to teaching. So I searched maritime museums in NYC and immediately “knew” which one to pick. We visited it that day, I submitted a very detailed application to be a volunteer, had a great interview and I am about to start training in order to be an exhibit educator for two weekend afternoons a month. 

    And, as you might guess, after I got off the phone with the interviewer and went to do errands, I got a sign. A male cardinal was literally sitting in the road in front of my car and followed the side of my car for two blocks! Whether it was a sign to continue to persevere in finding balance in my life or a sign from my deceased father who was in the Navy during the Korean War and loved anything maritime-related, I don’t know. But I do know that the Universe was saying “anchors aweigh…here’s wishing you a happy voyage home!” (lyrics from the Navy song “Anchors Aweigh“)


    For there is “no coincidence” when it comes to the wisdom that personal symbols can provide us all. 

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  • Tips: How to decide what your signs are?

    1. Repetition:

    As an English teacher, I am constantly telling my students that repetition in literature means that something important is being said. It is the author’s way of telling the reader, “Pay attention!”

    Similarly, when it comes to deciding what your personal symbols are, you need to start paying attention to details around you. Is there an object, name, number or song that keeps appearing in your life? If so, chances are that you should be paying attention..

    2. Quantity:

    Is it uncanny that you are seeing a lot of this sign at once? It is probably NOT a coincidence but instead it is a sign for you to be alert. 

    For example, a woman recently told me that the night after her beloved husband passed, she and her friends could not get over that there were beetles in each room of her house. There were even rows of beetles on her walls! She then researched what beetles symbolize, and found that they represent immortality and renewal. Immediately, she knew it was a positive sign from her husband,  and this comforted her knowing that he was at peace and sending her a message of self-renewal.

    3. Look up what the sign might mean:

    There are many resources online that can provide insight on what a sign might mean. Communities like my larger brand platforms on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are open to your questions about your own signs, and our team can provide guidance.

    While most signs and symbols have meanings, sometimes a sign is hard to decipher at first. That is ok — the mere fact that it keeps reappearing is good enough to start  since it will act as a compass going forward. 

    4. What has special meaning to you?

    Roses started to have meaning to me since my friend Kathy gave me a rose bush during my high-risk pregnancy. Thus, ask yourself if there is something in your belief system that means a lot to you that might become a sign. Or perhaps there are certain affiliations of yours (college, favorite sports logos, etc) or certain numbers that keep showing up in unexpected places; they too could be personal symbols. Or maybe something stands out because it is not familiar– an unusual bird or animal, for instance, could be a sign. 

    5. Is it an unusual spot for that sign to appear ?

    If this is the case, you can rest assured it is a personal symbol for you to follow. As mentioned, I saw a hand-painted poster of a rose propped up under a train track by my house and knew that its appearance was so unusual that it had to be a sign.  

    6. Does a song or musical group come on often when you are thinking of someone close to you who passed?

    I had a friend who loved the band Chicago, so whenever a song by Chicago comes on the radio, I know she is sending me a sign from beyond this life. 

    While my father was unusually open-minded toward rock music for someone born in 1927, he never really listened to Pink Floyd. However, for months, when I’d be in my car thinking about my deceased dad, a Pink Floyd song came on the radio. Thus, I now know that when I hear a Pink Floyd song — especially Wish You Were Here — that my dad is sending me a big hug, as well as affirmation that I am on the right path. 

    If someone you were close with passed away, they might be sending you signs. What did you often talk to them about? What educational, career affiliations did they have? What did they love? Any of those answers might end up being one of your personal symbols, and a way for them to “stay in touch.”

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  • The Rose (Part 2)

    My rose symbol (see The Rose: Part 1) also played a big part in my seven-year decision as to whether to have another child. I was very nervous about getting pregnant again after the scare I had during my pregnancy with my daughter Alex. I contemplated it, however it wasn’t until I was 39 years old that I made a decision. At that time, I finally ASKED The Universe/God/Spirit to give me a sign affirming whether I should have another child and for it to be a healthy pregnancy and birth.

    A few minutes after I asked for this sign, I had to go pick up my daughter from her school which was just a few minutes’ drive from my house. On the way home, I got my sign in the form of a huge hand-painted, glittery poster of a beautiful rose propped up on the side of the train tracks that I had passed just 15 minutes earlier on the way to school! I almost hit the car in front of me because I was in such disbelief that I had so quickly received my primary personal symbol at that time — a rose! That sealed the deal. Soon I was blessed with a carefree pregnancy and with the full-term, healthy birth of my son Ethan. Our family couldn’t imagine life without him.

    From the moment that I received the rose sign regarding my youngest child, the personal symbols started multiplying. There are now an abundance of personal symbols that I constantly see. Observing YOUR signs can also provide you with guidance to help you achieve empowerment and happiness in your personal and professional life.

    For there is “no coincidence” when it comes to the wisdom that personal symbols can provide us all.

    P.S. As soon as I finished writing this blog post, I went for a walk to get a thank you card to give my cousin for letting me use his seaside cottage to write and relax for a few days. The first card I saw when I walked into the gift shop was the card below, of course, with a rose! I took it as an affirmation that I should definitely keep writing my blog posts.

    Then I started talking to the friendly store owner and told her I was in town for a few days to write more of my blog. She asked what the blog was about and naturally I told her it was about how signs and personal symbols can give affirmation and guidance. I then showed her the first blog post about the rose and explained how the card I just saw in her shop affirmed that I am on the right path. We then talked about St. Therese’s affinity to roses and how it kept me going during my difficult pregnancy. As I was about to leave, she asked my name and naturally I asked her what her name was….yup, it was Therese!”

    And as my dear friend John always says, “you can’t make this stuff up!”

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  • The Rose (Part 1): How it started my sign journey

    Little did my friend Kathy know that she started me on the path towards living a life full of personal symbolism when she presented me with a rose bush in 1993. At the time, I was pregnant with my first child and was having a challenging pregnancy. At 20 weeks I had to stop commuting into New York since I was already at risk due to too much exertion. Then at 27 weeks, I had preterm labor and was rushed to the ER. The doctor was able to give me meds that quieted down the labor so I was able to go home, but then at 28 weeks I was once again being too active and had to go to the ER due to more preterm labor. I agreed to bed rest for the next 10 weeks of my pregnancy due to my fear of having my baby 12 weeks too early. 

    That was when Kathy and St. Therese stepped in. (Note: the rest of these blog entries will NOT be focused on saints or a particular religion. Instead they will discuss personal signs that have meaning on an individual basis—whatever your religious beliefs may be.) One day while I was on bed rest, Kathy brought me a rose bush that she then planted in my garden. Additionally, she told me stories about St. Therese, also called the Little Flower. St. Therese of Lisieux lived from 1873-1897, in France and was the youngest person ever to become a nun. She spent her life praying, philosophizing and teaching others her “little way” of kindness. Once, she wrote that after she dies, she will “spend time on earth doing good.” One of the ways St. Therese promised to do good on earth was by providing a “shower of roses” to those who follow her “little way” of kindness and pray to her in good faith. Because of this, she is always depicted with a bouquet of roses in her arms. With this, Kathy jump-started my journey into personal symbolism by giving me the rose bush in honor of my yet unborn child. During my long weeks on bedrest, I learned more about St. Therese and prayed to her daily for the health of my baby. 

    My prayers were answered since my daughter was born only 10 DAYS early—instead of the original 10 weeks early. In fact, my daughter Alex was born just a few days prior to the annual celebration of St. Therese’s life on September 30. Today, Alex is a healthy, vital young woman who does St. Therese’s work “doing good” on earth by devoting her life to non-profit work. 

    But that was just the beginning—St. Therese made me a firm believer in signs on my daughter’s Christening day. I had asked Kathy to be Alex’s godmother, and the baptism was in late November. Here in the Northeast U.S., my garden was naturally dormant. However, the morning we took Alex out for her Christening ceremony and celebratory party, St. Therese had a sign for us. On the rose bush that Kathy gave us, there was a single, beautiful rose blooming just for Alex’s special day! We couldn’t believe it and took this 29-year-old photo just to prove it!

    For there is “no coincidence” when it comes to the wisdom that personal symbols can provide us all.  

    You can read Part 2 here!

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  • “Towering” Inspiration from Eiffel

    Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash

    I know that you’re probably thinking that the Sign Lady must be someone who sells advertising space for physical signs on  trucks, highways and other visible spots. Not quite! As the Sign Lady, I observe my personal symbols – also known as signs – in my everyday life in order to receive guidance, solace and empowerment from them. And so can you…

    So now you’re asking: what’s a sign or personal symbol? (I will be using the words “signs” and “personal symbols” interchangeably in this blog.) They are everyday objects, animals, numbers and songs that symbolically mean something to you. Everyone’s signs are unique and personally tailored to you. That said, the following is an example of one of my sign stories to illustrate just how powerful personal symbols can be. (Now this is where the blog gets really good!)

    I had been divorced for a few years, had two children, college tuition bills and was trying to support my family as a freelance family travel writer. As you might suspect, this wasn’t an easy financial place to be in! The stress of not getting a regular paycheck, having to pay my own health insurance and supporting a household was wearing me down. Eventually, someone I had met in a very random way suggested I go back to grad school to get the credits I needed to be a high school English teacher. I truly felt the thunderbolt of revelation hit me at that moment! Mind you, this was about two weeks before the school year was starting so I had a lot of ducks to get in a row to make this happen. 

    However, this was a pretty risky move. The state department of education was going to take months to review my college transcript to advise how many more English credits I needed. And beyond that, how was I going to financially survive for at least a year until I hustled and got all the credits I needed for certification? And beyond that (can tell how my mind was spinning with “what ifs?”), what if I didn’t even like teaching after I jumped through all these hoops?

    And this, my friends, is where the signs come in. Two days before classes started, I brought my college transcript to a local state university and got matriculated. But before I paid the big bill for graduate level courses, I was told to trot down the hall to the assistant dean to see if indeed there was any space in the upper level classes I needed. 

    Now let me backtrack a minute. One of my signs since my divorce was the Eiffel Tower. Why the Eiffel Tower? When Gustave Eiffel wanted to build it, everyone said it was an eyesore and would not even physically be able to stand. In fact, originally the city of Paris was going to tear it down after the World’s Fair of 1889, for which it was built. Well, we all know that by following his gut, Eiffel created one of the world’s biggest attractions to this day. Thus, the Eiffel Tower is a personal symbol for me since it represents following your dreams and standing in your knowingness.

    Okay, back to the assistant dean’s office. I was feeling such trepidation about this big, risky, life-changing decision at the age of 52. However, when I walked into the assistant dean’s office, it was covered with…you guessed it…images and statues of the Eiffel Tower! Instantly, I KNEW that I was making the right move to become a teacher since one of my personal symbols was all over every inch of wall space! I signed on the dotted line and began classes a few dates later.

    And, as the saying goes, the rest is history. I am now entering my ninth year of teaching high school English to students who are mostly college-bound but need academic support to get there due to learning challenges. I have touched hundreds of students’ lives by giving them the confidence and the writing skills they need for college and their future careers.

    If it hadn’t been for my belief in the unspoken guidance from my signs, none of this might have never occurred.    

    For there is “no coincidence” when it comes to the wisdom that personal symbols can provide us all.  

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