Are these 'Boomerang' sightings signs or coincidences?

Call it dumb luck. A fluke. Or maybe something more ...

Anyone out there believe in signs? You know, things that you spy or overhear when you're just doing your thing?

Things that you want to take as a premonition. One that hopefully hints you're headed in the right direction.

Like on the first day of 2024. I saw something when out with my friend, D, visiting from out of town. We were in the Lake Eola area of downtown Orlando, killing time walking and talking as we waited for a nail appointment. And I saw this across the street:

Boomerang office in Orlando.

Outside of referring to my book's title, I never see the word "boomerang" anywhere. At least not since the '80s, when recreational boomerangs were a trend for a hot minute, even though the hunting tool goes back 50,000 years or so.

Okay.....coincidence.

But three days later, I hopped on a plane to Kansas City, where we rented a car for a lengthy drive ahead of us.

And I saw it again. BOOMERANG, written in bold white lettering on the side of a building we were zipping by. When I took to the interwebs, I learned not only is it the name of a vintage clothing store in KC, but also the name of a roller coaster at a local theme park.

Two Boomerangs in KC? Thanks, Google, for confirming.(Google search screenshot)

I told myself it's still probably a coincidence.

And then I got back home and went to Target, scouring the frozen foods for something to keep my hungry teenager well-fed. And saw this:

Boomerang's frozen meals? They weren't in this aisle the last time I was.

Another one?

I chatted with some friends about it. Are these signs? Coincidences? Messages? Hints that I'm on the right path?

I sure hope so.

I joined another friend, A, for a couple of drinks at a kava bar last week. We chatted about the boomerangs. A saw it as a sign, too. She's big into numbers and what they signify, among other signs from the universe. Like these:

• I've had the novel's title set since its inception in my head, about a decade ago.

• I decided that since most books are released on Tuesdays, spring breakish-time (sometime in mid- to late March) would be a good shot at scoring some readers looking for a beach read.

• I told myself that if my birthday happened to fall on a Tuesday, that would be the date — 3.19.24. It does. Why? Well, I'll always know it took me 49 years to finally have the guts to put my deeply creative work out there.

• At the moment, the version of the book being proofed by an editor is a total of 319 pages. Like my birthday. The book's release date.

• I found out, after I selected this release date, that one of my favorite authors in my genre, Tarryn Fisher, just happens to be releasing her next highly anticipated novel THAT VERY SAME DAY. (Insert facepalm.) Oh, and my main character's name? TARYN — again, a name chosen when I began writing this book so long ago. Total coincidence!

Or is it?

I thought about changing my release date after finding out about Fisher's book. But I quickly decided there would always be something. I'll keep making excuses and pushing back the publication. Like I used to before.

Forget that. I'm moving ahead with my original plan. Coincidences or not.

Some might say my "signs" are a bunch of crap. I could, too. But I always have been a big proponent of trusting my gut. My so-called Spidey senses. Hunches. I've had decisions to make in the past, where I've been leaning one way, about to pull the trigger. But then something deep down within me tugs. No. Don't do that. It's another choice you want.

And other things I wasn't paying attention to.

For example, a grad school I'd applied to and been rejected by. At the time, I was devastated. But it all made sense when I was accepted into another program at my dream school.

That was where I was meant to be. And I am.

Or trips I'd been anxiously awaiting — only to have COVID or something else thwart them. Sure, I was pissed each time my plans changed (because I am a PLANNER). I look back and think differently now. I was NOT meant to go on those excursions or have these experiences. For some unknown reason. Some, I know why now. Others, I don't. But that's okay. It all makes sense.

I think the universe can talk pretty loudly sometimes. We just have to listen. (Like when I was at a teahouse the other day and heard one of the owners use THE WORD while playing pool. A day later, a fellow patron pointed to the TV — someone was tossing a boomerang on a YouTube video.

Maybe it's nothing. Or maybe it's something to keep me going.

I'm going with the latter.