Coincidences About Number 13

The first major coincidence of my life happened before I even knew the word “coincidence.” On my third birthday, my younger sister was born. I never thought much of us sharing the same birthday, June 17th, until I began experiencing coincidences about a different number, 13.

After studying Taoism and the I Ching, I happened to find that June 17th (of the year I was born) was the 13th day of the Chinese lunar calendar, which was notable to me because the most coincidences I’ve experienced all relate to that lucky/unlucky number.

It turns out I was born in the 13th city council district. I have photos of myself wearing a T-shirt with a 13 on it from my childhood, because it was the name of my uncle’s company. I ended up working for someone else whose business’s name is Number 13, and while working for this company met my now girlfriend (on November 13th) whose birthday is March 13th, whose sister’s birthday is May 26th (13×2=26).

My girlfriend moved to the U.S. in 2013 when she was 13 years old. I realized my ex-girlfriend’s birthday was March 26th, and the letter M, of my first name, is the 13th letter in the alphabet (out of 26 English letters). I found out the lifelong mystery of what my true paternal last name was, having been changed 13 generations ago when one of my ancestors was beheaded on May 13th, hundreds of years ago.

These are far from the only coincidences I’ve experienced in my life, but they are the easiest to share in a short story. If anyone else knows what the number 13 might mean, I’d love to hear from them.