Go Figure

Ruth’s been gone two years last week on September 27th.  She popped in several times that day just to keep us on our toes.  A series of events made sure she was in our thoughts.  In no particular order of appearance, here’s a few examples.

While I’m recuperating from shoulder surgery, I’m going to record an audio version of “Pondering Life’s Lessons”.  I’ve negotiated an agreement with a producer and had the appropriate equipment shipped to me.  I recorded some passages of my book to test things out.  I learned very quickly that recording goes smoothly, but turning the pages of the book was a challenge.  I can only use one hand, and each turned page made a noise that the mic picked up.    I couldn’t let that happen.

I remembered that I have an electronic Kindle version of the book.  Scrolling through that will be silent.  I haven’t used the device for about a year and when I turned it on page 170 popped up.  Page 170 is the beginning of Chapter 51, a story called 3:16. It chronicles a series of events around the number.  Most importantly, it’s the exact time Ruth sent her final text to me.

The fact that the story popped up is no coincidence.

Later that same morning I got a phone call from  Pennbrooke Fairways Golf Club.  Last April 11th we held the second of two golf tournaments I’ve hosted to celebrate Ruth’s April 11th birthday. We held the first one in 2023 in The Villages.  The group grew so we moved it to nearby Pennbrooke this past April because they could accommodate a larger group.

The folks at Pennbrooke have never called me.  My daughter, Elizabeth, and I visited the course last January to arrange for last April’s tourney. I scheduled 2025 as soon as the 2024 tournament finished.

They called Friday the 27th, two years to the day since Ruth’s accident, to confirm the April 11, 2025, date. How does that happen?

Ruth’s sister, Kathy, was having her own 27th flashback.  The morning of September 27, 2022, was the last time the two sisters spoke.  Hurricane Ian was heading for Florida and Kathy was packing in Michigan to make her return to The Villages.  Ruth feared that she’d meet head on with Ian and implored her sister to delay her trip south.  Kathy agreed to stay in Michigan to wait out the storm.  About eight hours later Ruth had her accident.

Two years later to the day, Hurricane Helene was following a Florida path similar to Ian’s.   Ian and Helene connected two sisters in a manner that’s difficult to fathom.  I certainly can’t explain it.

And then there was the phone call that I received the evening of the 27th.  One of Ruth’s Tullymore friends, Jerry, and her husband, Ron, called to check on me after my shoulder surgery.  The surgery was the twenty-fifth, but they waited two days to check in.  I’m sure that they weren’t aware that it had been two years since Ruth died.

Jerry was the last Michigan friend that Ruth spoke with.  They’d played Mexican Train dominos.  After they played, Ruth helped Jerry to her car.  They shared information that they both hoped would lead to expanding their friendship. A few hours later, Ruth was gone.

If you’re open to seeing connections that life brings your way, you’ll find them.  Some will surprise, perhaps even shock you.

Ruth sent her final text to me the afternoon of September 27th, 2022, at 3:16. It read:  Played Mexican Train today and won 5 out of 6 games…go figure…no money just the trill of the win.

Indeed. Go figure.