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Life After Life (Part 6 of 7) – Love
When it comes to near-death and shared-death experiences, they may have different qualities to them for different people. It is clear that the experiences we have in this life do influence the experience we have when we transition into the next.
I believe that the reason for these differing experiences is to make our transition into the next life as gentle and meaningful as possible. Spirit orchestrates the passing experience in such a way that it is as unique as the person that is transitioning.
There are some cultural and ancestral qualities that are fairly consistent in the individuals experiencing the transition. For example, if you have a specific religious icon that is meaningful to you, it is very likely that will be a part of your transition experience. Continue reading
My Grandfather’s Gift Of Love
Cherubic looking, my grandfather had a round face that was quick to reveal his kindness and sense of empathy. He was just as fast to express humor, which he frequently did. His tummy shook a bit when he laughed… like Santa Claus. He was a little, round Irish man that doted on me when I was deeply in need of this level of nurturing.
It’s not a bad story, as stories go. I was simply born to a couple of kids. My mother and father were naive country folk, and very young. I think that children back then, especially at those tender ages, were even younger than their years, as compared to today’s off-spring. The world was also naive then, compared to now. In any case, when I was an infant they left me with my grandfather to raise, due to his insistence. Continue reading
In Our Own Time
We come in to this existence, and later depart, according to our own timeline. My husband and I recently observed the one year anniversary of our daughter Kathy’s passing. As painful as her death continues to be for us, it is none the less something we have no choice but to deal with.
Kathy was a private and reclusive person and did not have a lot of really close friends. However, the ones she did have were especially precious to her and she nourished and valued those friendships. I had a phone call recently from one of her friends, who is still struggling with Kathy’s passing. She and Kathy were definitely kindred spirits and they turned to each other frequently when times got especially trying. Continue reading
It’s Lucky I’m So Tough
In the area where we live the government has a program called Homeshare. What that means is people like my husband and myself will take in an individual with some type of disability. We are paid to have them come and live with us as part of our family. After our daughter passed away, we thought we might enrich our lives and help with our grieving by helping out someone else. We did not want to look after children or someone with extreme difficulties, as we are seniors and felt someone of that nature would prove to be too much of a burden for us. Continue reading
Grounded In Spirit When Caring For Elderly Parents
I have a friend that is going through the challenging process of watching her aging mom dwindle away. Her mother is losing her memory and the ability to take care of herself the way she used to. So, I try to help when I can. For most of us it’s an issue that we will all most likely face one day.
The spiritual connection to our parents is often a relationship with a history that is very complex. Not everyone has a wonderful, loving relationship with their parents, right? Those of us who do, should never take it for granted. We are truly blessed. Continue reading
My Friend’s Visitation From Her Grandmother
A dear friend called me today to tell me that she had a visitation from her grandmother last night. She had woken up late at night to use the bathroom and upon returning to her bedroom she found it hard to fall asleep again. Being Catholic she started to pray the Rosary, until her grandmother appeared at the foot of her bed.
It surprised her that she wasn’t afraid at all. Instead she was very happy and felt only a sense of love and belonging. She merely looked at her Grandma and silently communicated with her. I had a similar experience with my grandfather. We also communicated telepathically without words. Continue reading
What If Cows Were Green And Grass Was Orange?
My father was color blind, and consequently all my brothers and their sons too. Color blindness has it downside, but it also broadened my horizons and taught me at a young age to have a questioning mind. School and education was not a priority in my family and we were welcome to quit anytime we chose. The only stipulation was that we must have a job.
My brother, Roger, like a lot of teens at that time, went to work at the tender age of 15. He got a position with a huge conglomerate in our city of Montreal. The dress code was a typical white shirt, tie and, hopefully, a matching suit. Now with Roger being color blind this became a bit of a dilemma for him. He would have no idea if he was wearing green socks with a red tie and blue suit, or even one orange sock coupled with a purple one!
My sister, Marie and I spent a lot of time with our brother Roger, as well as our other siblings. It was a common practice for the younger ones to spend any amount of time with the older siblings. Because Roger was one of the first ones from home to go off to work, we took an inordinate amount of pride in him and his achievements and were very anxious for him to succeed in life. Continue reading