I don't remember exactly when it started, but I know it was after my grandmother passed away in 1993 that I started to see 1122 literally everywhere.
Now, if you've read any of my blogs you know that my grandmother was not only very important to me as a child, but still quite a bit so today. Her passing was my first experience with not only grief but one of the most valuable lessons life can offer, not to take anything, or anyone, for granted.
My grandmother had 16 grandchildren and whether I liked it or not, she would often tell everyone that I was her favorite. We spent hours together when I was a child as she lived with us many times. We would cook, write poems, play cards. I loved to dance and she'd just laugh and clap and be the best fan. We'd paint our nails and talk about everything. I slept with her often and we would go to bed, but talk for at least 30 minutes before we slept. She was such a beautiful soul and a good friend to me. She knew my life wasn't easy when she wasn't there and I'm grateful to reflect back to realize that one person can make a world of difference to a child. She was that one person for me.
I left Colorado at 18 and started a new life and family in California. We'd write letters to each other, but they were getting fewer and further between with a baby and husband in the picture. When I left, she was the woman I'd known all of my life. She cooked, a lot, smoked, a lot, drank black coffee, a lot, and she loved her nighttime game shows on tv.
I was 25 when I got the call that she had been diagnosed with cancer. My mother informed me that they had to put her in a nursing facility as the cancer was very aggressive and the care was too much for the family. This alone was brutal news as I'd just started a new job that I knew was a very important career starter for me, so I couldn't make a trip home right away to see her.
I remember thinking that I'd go see her in a few months when she got better and I'd earned some paid time off. As I mentioned, I'd never lost anyone and didn't really know a lot about the severity of her cancer. However, I did know that my grandmother was not happy about being in a nursing facility. She had been terrified of this idea my entire life, so knowing she was there was tough on the heart and I was definitely afraid of what it would mean to her outcome.
It was only two weeks later when my mom called to inform me that I needed to plan a trip home to say goodbye.
In my interview for this new job I was so excited about, the manager had asked me to share about someone who was a hero to me. It was a very quick answer, "my grandmother". We had a very sweet conversation about her that day, which was several weeks before the news of her cancer. My manager was named Talis and she was one of the kindest mentors I've ever known, so she was incredibly supportive of my trip.
My daughter and I arrived at my mother's home late on the evening of February 27, 1993. I don't know the exact time that I got my daughter to sleep and went into the room where my grandmother lay, but it was after 11, and I've often wondered if it was 11:22 precisely. When I walked in and lay down beside my grandmother, I held her hand and told her "I'm here", and the only response she could give was to rub her frail thumb along my hand. I know she understood it was me.
I talked to her for a little while then fell asleep next to her. It was just wonderful to be sleeping beside her again.
I woke up around sunrise and stared at her for a minute. I watched her breath for what seemed like a long time. I told her I loved her and that I knew it was her time. I thanked her for waiting for me and started to cry as I went to check on my daughter.
I laid down next to my beautiful sleeping little girl and just stared at her for a little while just cherishing how lucky I was to be able to pass on the love my grandmother had shown me.
I was lying on my side with my head propped up by my elbow and not even five minutes later my dad came down the stairs and called my name. My first thought was "She's awake".
But then I saw his face.
"She's passed," he said.
I was in shock. My mind and body went numb for a moment and took a minute to find my feet. I made my way back to her bedside and took her hand again. I was staring at her in disbelief that we didn't get to talk just one more time.
The next few days were a blur. We had a beautiful open casket service for her and I remember putting my hand on her heart and saying "You're so lucky." I'm not sure why those are the words that came other than to say I knew she was in a beautiful place. I could feel it and she deserved nothing but beauty and joy.
And this is where it started... I don't know if it was that day or the next or a month later, but seeing 1122 became a very regular thing.
I'd wake up at exactly 11:22 p.m. for no reason at all. It would be an amount on a receipt or the last four digits of a phone number. It was everywhere.
Over the years I began to understand that it was a message from above that things were going to be ok. I began to realize that the timing of seeing it was when I was worried or stressed or there was some difficult issue at hand.
I also came to realize that it wasn't an eleven, but a two, that the number was 222 rather than 1122. And of course, I began to see 222 everywhere also.
Somewhere around 2007 when I was at the beginning of my career transition to become a hypnotherapist, I started studying more about metaphysics, numerology, and synchronicity. One of the things that was really important to me was to understand the meaning of 222/1122.
So, I read chapter 11 and chapter 2, verse 22 in several Bibles. I researched online. I asked other spiritual and metaphysical people about it and many concurred that what I had felt was true, that things would be ok, but nothing written had yet confirmed that.
One day I was early to a dinner date at a restaurant on a street with many cute shops. One of them was a little metaphysical bookstore. As I was wandering through the store I saw the book Angel Numbers 101 by Doreen Virtue.
Of course, I immediately opened the book to the number 222 and when I read it, I began to cry.
"Trust that everything is working out exactly as it's supposed to, with Divine blessings for everyone involved. Let go and have faith."
To have written confirmation of something that my heart and soul had known for many years brought just an overwhelming gratitude. They were tears of joy, gratitude, and deep Divine connection.
I know that my grandmother started this and it's a beautiful reminder of love, of her, of her angelic presence in my life on a very regular basis. It's not the same as a live conversation, time in the kitchen, or writing poetry together, but it sure is a great feeling to be touched in the soul by her and other angels and know I'm loved just the same.
Needless to say, I still see 1122 and 222 often. I have a much stronger knowledge of what number sequences mean and have a great love for the synchronicities of it all.
In fact, my daughters see the same numbers, 1122 and 222 often. There is rarely a week that goes by that we don't send a group text when one of us sees it's 11:22 on the clock or to share a picture of the number on a license plate or receipt or somewhere else.
A few years ago one of my daughters suggested we get matching tattoos with the number 1122, so we did. Most tattoos have meaning and come with a story. This one is ours.
Thank you for letting me share it and I wish you love like this in your life too.
Paula~
