I returned from my honeymoon to something (almost) as exciting: the premiere issue of Mysterious Ways magazine, printed and ready to ship to subscribers. The good news didn’t stop there—our Mysterious Ways Facebook page topped 1,000 fans this week… and more people like us each day.
I didn’t come here to brag though. I came here to thank you for sharing your miraculous experiences with us—and to share one of my own. The best thing, to me, about these stories is that every time we publish one, it seems to spark others to share their similar experiences. “That story reminded me of the time…” is a commonly heard reaction. It doesn’t make these experiences any less miraculous to know they happen often. In fact, I see it as proof that while the world is far from perfect, our best interests are being looked after, time and time again.
My wife and I were excited to spend our honeymoon in Thailand, but we were worried about it. July is “rainy season,” and two activities we wanted to do the most, elephant trekking in Chiang Mai and sea-canoeing in Phuket, were in areas known to be inundated this time of year.
During our time in Chiang Mai, it poured only twice—when we were under cover listening to our elephant guide talk about conservation and the importance of rehabilitating the Thai elephant community, and when we were already wet in a river, giving our elephants a bath before hitting the trail. The rain came down so fierce, there were times I could barely see, but it dried up the moment we were ready to start stomping through the jungle. The rain shower actually helped us, getting the big beasts cleaner than our brushes and buckets of water ever could.
In Phuket, the skies looked ominous as we set out on the water in the large boat that would take us out to a chain of tiny limestone islands. But the rain held out. We disembarked from the main ship in tiny yellow kayaks to explore narrow caves that led to hidden coves, tucked away in the centers of the islands like doughnut holes. Often, we were the first canoe to enter a cove, just the guide, my wife and I, and it felt as if we were the first to discover these pristine sanctuaries, where crab-eating macaques swung happily from palm and mangrove trees, lizards sunned themselves on rocks just above the clear, still water, and white-bellied eagles soared overhead. It rained only once—when we were back on the main ship eating dinner. Choppy waves buffeted the boat, but we stayed safe and dry. Our whole honeymoon was a magical experience, the perfect way to start our marriage.
Have you had an experience where things have fallen into place so perfectly it seemed it couldn’t have happened by chance? Share your story with us. And sign up for your copy of Mysterious Ways magazine. Your story could be published in a future issue!
