Are you superstitious? I tend to be only when the outcome benefits me. If I break a mirror, I shrug the supposed seven years of bad luck off. I have a black cat. I go out of my way to walk under ladders and yet…I believe in signs.

I believe the Universe communicates to us through symbolism – language anyone can understand. I believe coincidences, especially strings of them close together, may be this force telling us we are on the right path in life.

Encountering a classic good luck sign such as a rainbow, lucky penny, or four-leaf clover is good but how about all three within an hour? That’s what happened last month on our way home from the mine.

We were there with a local from Republic whom we’d met while looking for a contractor. I called him in search of a professional who could tell us whether or not we could build a road up our hill to the mine. During our conversation he mentioned he was a former miner and had also worked in two mills processing ore.

Someone with experience. What are the odds? He offered to help us with the mine and we gratefully accepted.

Coincidentally, as a child, this man and his friends had spent many a day exploring the place. He described the remains of a town-like setting complete with a dance hall and said the last time he’d been there was when he was twenty years old. He seemed excited to see the place again and we were happy to have him along.

He had an all-terrain vehicle that could possibly make the climb so we met near the highway and trekked in to take a look. My husband and I climbed into the vehicle and we started up the hill. It wasn’t long, however, before I became convinced the vehicle would roll over so I asked to walk.

A half-mile of near vertical climbing later, I found the guys and vehicle intact at the tailings. Our advisor confirmed we had a decent cache although it’s value had yet to be determined. My husband showed him around the site then we drove to the north side of the property to the “Mystery Mine” as we call it.

We shined our flashlights into the tunnel, wondering how far back it went as my husband and I explained how we’d taken ore off the wall at the entrance that’d assayed (tested for gold content), at near one ounce per ton: a very rich sample. With that much gold, this would be one of a couple of places to focus on once we started.

We discussed what kind of equipment could make it up the steep slopes without a road and came up with a rough plan going forward. Getting permits and making sure we comply with the mining laws will occupy our time in the coming weeks.

Feeling fortunate about having met someone with such valuable knowledge, we wrapped our trip up and piled back into the four-wheel drive headed back down the hill – me closing my eyes.

After saying goodbye, my husband and I threw our supplies into our car and prepared to get in when he looked down and saw a four leaf clover growing in a patch at his feet. He picked it and handed it to me then spotted four more.

This was a sign from the Universe, I told him. Success and good fortune awaited us alongside the ghost that hides in the mountain. Everything is going to be OK and better.

But more was to come. I found a lucky penny at the store on the way back and a double rainbow sprang to life out of a downpour as we neared home.

If these aren’t a sign of good things to come, I don’t know what is. By the way: three’s a charm.