69: Cosmic Joke or the Universe Vibing?

Driving to work, I’ve spotted three cars in less than 15 minutes with the number 69 on their plates. I started writing personal essays over two years ago with

Ochre Sky Stories

, in my early 40s. Baring my heart on paper revealed parts of me I’d long ignored. Since then, the number 69 has seemed to follow me everywhere - on clothing price tags, grocery bills, my phone’s battery percentage, even random timestamps on mobile videos.

Initially, I chuckled thinking the universe, mocking my midlife, was playing some kind of cosmic joke! With time though, the sheer frequency with which the number appeared before my eyes made it hard for me to ignore.

My physiotherapist, who dabbles in Quantum Healing and numerology, shared, “The combination of 6 and 9 signifies the end of toxic behaviors, negativity, relationships, or beliefs that no longer serve your higher purpose.” That struck a chord as my essays have uncovered layers of my search for identity. As a neurodivergent Indian woman, writing has been my rebellion against inherited patterns, family expectations, a patriarchal culture, and a neurotypical world.

Photo by Mark Tryapichnikov on Unsplash

However, I struggle to balance the demands of everyday life with my passion for writing. Over the years, I’ve bounced between well-paying but soul-draining corporate jobs that fund my therapy and low-paying teaching roles that ignite my spirit. Teaching children, especially neurodivergent children is my glimmer – their boundless energy and out-of-the-box thinking fuel my creativity and challenge my ADHD brain in ways rigid workplaces never could.

A quick internet search reveals the number 69 symbolizes balancing material success with spiritual fulfillment.

Parool

, a writer friend, who shares her card readings, said, “My interpretation of all angel number sightings is that your intuition is getting stronger, and you’re beginning to align with the universe’s frequency. This means your vibration is rising, and you should pay attention to your thoughts because thoughts become things.”

The skeptic in me wants to scoff; my faith discourages practices like numerology. Still, I’m drawn to the soft curves of 69, the way the yin wraps the yang in a sensuous embrace, and how the numbers symbolize infinity - evoking a sense of continuity and endlessness. Could I really be vibing with the universe?! By flashing 69 before my eyes, could the universe be telling me it’s time to have faith, let go of the struggle, and follow the path to nurture my soul? Could pursuing fulfilling work unlock the abundance I can’t yet imagine?

Another explanation for my ‘vision’ could be the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon - a cognitive bias where 69 doesn’t appear any more than any other number, I’m just more aware of it.

This morning, when I intentionally tried to spot the number 69, I ended up seeing 96 - twice in just five minutes! Ironically, 96 is also on my husband's license plate!

I’m not so sure if life is sprinkled with magical signs waiting for us to discover them. What I do know is life becomes much more bearable when you decide to have fun – pun not intended! So, in a season of goal-setting and, manifestations, I urge you to get on with those daily affirmations, create that damn vision board if you feel like it and just like I do, surround yourself with friends who play along with your madness. A beautiful writer friend sent me a message as I shared this essay with her last week, “Guess how many weeks it has been since our Ochre Sky Circle started?”

Yes, that’s right, it’s been 69 weeks since I found my tribe!

Maybe it’s silly to read too much into the symbolism of this humorous midlife coincidence. I’d like to believe though that the faith that frowns upon such superstitions is also the faith that taught me to believe in angels and that there’s life after death.

After all, they say magic happens to those who believe in it.