In December 2005, my family members and I were trying to cope with the sudden and unexpected death of a very special loved one. While I have absolute faith that those who have “gone on” are okay, those of us who are left behind must still deal with the incredible sense of loss. Despite one’s “knowings,” grief can still be overwhelming.
My mom, my oldest son, and I had just returned from the “family night” at the funeral home, and we were at my mom’s house. I held an envelope–a bill that my mom wanted me to mail for her–and it slipped from my hand and fell to the floor between us.
We all looked down and were stunned to see that the envelope had landed on its long edge and was still upright, though leaning at a 45-degree angle. In other words, it was totally defying gravity.
We just stared at it for a moment, then I quietly asked my mom and my son if they were seeing what I was seeing. After they both independently acknowledged that the envelope was resting on its edge at a 45-degree angle, I picked it up.
I said something like, “Well, that was strange…”
I leaned over and tried to get the envelope to balance on its edge, but despite my best efforts I couldn’t replicate what we had just witnessed.
My mom, my son, and I had all had unusual experiences over the years, but this one was significant because it was the first time that the three of us had experienced something like this at the same time.
As we discussed it, I said that it was almost like it had been leaning against an unseen foot, and I went on to say that I had to give credit to our recently deceased family member! I rationalized that if he’d somehow managed to create this experience for us to see, I’d sure hate to NOT give him the credit!
Later when I was letting my dogs out at my house, I heard a very clear, and very familiar chuckle in my head. Then I “heard” this newly-departed loved one say, “Don’t worry–I’ll always be in the middle of what ya’ll are doing.”
While others may interpret this experience differently, to me it was a powerful reminder that life–most assuredly–goes on. Yes, I will always grieve the loss of the daily, physical presence of the people I love when they slip through the doorway of death into continued life, but I know that love transcends the boundaries of time and space.
© SKB 2006, 2023