4 … 4 … 4

In some languages, the number 4 is unlucky because it sounds like the word for death. But in English, 4 is just another number.

If you add three fours (4 + 4 + 4), you get 12. If you’re counting things like eggs, 12 is a dozen. If you divide four hundred and forty-four by four (444 ÷ 4), you get 111. That’s the emergency number in Aotearoa New Zealand if you want Police, Fire or Ambulance.

But there’s a special reason why I’m writing about 444 today. The other morning, I woke up early. When I got out of bed, I looked at the alarm clock. What time was it? It was 4:44.

The next morning, I also woke up early. I sat up, put my foot out of bed onto the floor, opened my eyes, and looked at the alarm clock to see the time. What time was it? The exact same time I got up the day before! What a coincidence!

Some people might say that waking up at that time was triply unlucky, but I don’t think so. For me, the time reminded me that today was a new day and I could make my own luck.