Question

[lilyjohn]

Most if not all of us here believe that our loved ones are still around. Many feel that we have had signs from them to let us know that they are alright. My question is how many feel that they have had some kind of contact or sign from a departed loved one? Would you be willing to share it here?

Those signs have helped me so much and knowing that others have experienced similar things have helped even more. It gives us all hope and having others share with us does not make us feel so alone or like we are loosing our minds. That is why I think this is an appropriate subject for this forum.

[Linda661]

Lilly:

Interesting topic. During the day of my mom's visitation and burial, the funeral director took a bunch of digital pictures and then presented me with a CD of those pictures several days later. Never heard of doing such a thing, but......anyway, I viewed the pictures on my computer and well, I think he captured evidence of my mom's existence dis-incarnate. In one of the pictures, there is a softly glowing ball of light above the casket where my mom's head was positioned and when I view this close-up on my computer, there is a face with a big 'ol smile on it looking at me (the face looks like what my mom would draw as a picture of herself). He did capture one other picture with this "ball of light" at the end of the visitation room as well, though I don't see the face in that one -- these cannot be explained by light filtering into the room or other means to my knowledge.

I thought it was way cool. At my dad's service, I had seen "flashes of light" (outline of a person, with the light showing up as a strobing effect) in the corner of the room, the same as I had seen around him a few hours before he passed, but no photos were taken at that service.

To me, because of this, I have no doubt that both my parents are just fine. May sound "out there," but it's certainly provided comfort to me.

Linda

[pamlee1]

Lilly:

I don't post much but still stop by the boards to see how everyone's doing and yes I can relate to what you're talking about. Lost my sister Ruby a little over a year ago to nsclc after a 10 month battle. I was her caregiver thru it all. Just before she was diagnosed we were shopping and I bought a Ray Charles CD and there was one song on there we just loved and used to crank up the volume when it played; played the cd on the way to her treatments, etc.

Just after she passed away I was just a mess; would be driving somewhere and crying and was also dealing with her estate and one daughter who was a nightmare. I always had that cd in the cd player. I'd be driving along and miserable and out of nowhere the radio would stop playing and that cd would start playing that very same song she loved. This happened to me 4 or 5 times during the first 2 weeks. I even took my car in to be serviced and asked them to check why the cd player was coming on by itself. They assured me it was working fine and that it could not come on unless I pushed the button to play the cd. I knew it was and that it was her way of telling me it was okay and that she was fine and not to worry about her. For about 4 months this kept happening although not as much. It happened again about 3 weeks ago and in another vehicle.

So, I believe our loved ones are still with us and I believe they comfort us in ways that only they can. It's so hard to lose someone you care about so much and especially after a long battle with cancer. So, now when the cd player starts with that song it just brings back wonderful happy memories of my dear sister and I know she's watching over me.

[EastCoastLadi]

Lilly,

Thank you for putting this topic out there! Yes!!! I have been experiencing the most facinating signs recently and now. First this time last year my dad was dying from cancer, he died Aug. 29th. But for the last couple of weeks, since we went away to VT, I and my family have been experiencing the presence of Monarch butterflies around us, sure I know it is summer, but never like this before.

Up in Vermont, we stopped at a spot at Lake Champlain, my oldest sitting on the rocks, then this orange and black butterfly appears, flying around her, not leaving then flying around my husband. I just thought it was odd that this butterfly was staying around us.

Then about a week later, back at home, I'm driving to pick up my daughter, at a stop light, when I see this orange and black butterfly flying to my car, trying to get in, circling around it. Very odd.

Next day my mom comes over, as I open the front door, here comes a orange and black butterfly , flying around my mom, and my front door, then it stops and lands on the grass in my front yard and stays there. I told my mom, it's dad or certainly a sign from him.

A couple of days later, my husband and I took the girls out, downtown to get some pizza, as we were walking into the pizza place, u guessed it! A orange and black butterfly, perched itself on a branch in a tree right outside the pizza place, we sat inside, in front of the tree, then when I said we're going to go now, the butterfly takes off.

I have had a few encounters with the butterflies, even my husband has, he just saw one in our back yard, no more the orange and black butterfly in her back yard, where she usually doesn't see any.

I can't help but think, it's my dad, he was born in Oct. ( the colors of orange and black ) and the sign of the butterfly, I think he wants to tell me, us he is free....

Grace

[lilyjohn]

Come on now. So many of you have alluded to this in your posts. Let's see your stories. This is a lot more comon than I ever expected it to be. People don't look at you like you are strange any more when you talk about these experiences.

[RandyW]

Lilly, My wife had religious beliefs that were a little different than Mainstream religion. Same basics but broader scope I think. One of these was she believed in Reincarnation. TRUTH!! My nickname for Deb was Honey Bunny. I was her Pooh Bear because I was so huggable to and for her. I see a Little Bunny sitting and eating grass outside every onvce and a while on the front lawn. do not use chemicals because of that and you should see me slam brakes for Bunny Crossings driving down the road. I never see Honey Bunny on any set schedule but when I get the Blues; I see the honey Bunny. Also The Humming Birds she used to feed have returned this year so feeding time is on again. Thanks Lilly.

[TracyD]

I have had more of these experieneces than I care to think about. I have had many dreams that I think a counselor would have a field day with. For now I will share the shortest, simplest, story.

When I was ten my grandfather (Poppa), who I was very close to, passed away. Due to my young age I never saw him at the hospital prior to his death. I was told the news one morning when I got up, and the next thing I know me and my two brothers are viewing poppa at the funeral home. It was just awful, and it always bothered me. I never said goodye.

Fast forward about ten years. i had a dream one night that I was standing in an empty room, it might have been an attic. I'm not scared at all, just curious. As I look around, there's my poppa standing there. He looks at me and simply says "I'm okay", and I woke up.

That was the first of a few dreams I've had of family members, some dead, even one alive but in grave danger, that make me believe that we have strong connections with people that we love.

Tracy

[lilyjohn]

As I said I have had so many experiences that I no longer question them. I have often written about them here. One of the "big" ones was the disappearance of my praying hands for a year and then my finding them. I found them on one of those terrible aniversary dates when I was in really bad condition. I opened a suitcase that had been stored on end and right in the middle laying face up were my praying hands. The best part of the story is that I had searched that suitcase and had used it once after they disappeared!!

One other I will mention then I have to get ready for work. Two years ago at Thanksgiving (another bad aniversary and the same year of the praying hands reappearance) I was very low. I felt like the signs from Johnny that I was used to had stopped. Those aniversary dates really kick me in the butt and I needed him. I asked for a sign.

I was sitting at my computer writing with the tv on. I wasn't paying much attention to the news until the story about the president pardoning the turkey. The story was different that year. There were two turkeys named "Biscuits and Gravy". Every day we were together starting with the evenings in the hospital when he was first diagnosed Johnny had to have his biscuits and gravy. I doubt that I could have gotten a more meaningfull sign. I asked and he sent it. Coinsidence? I don't believe in it any more.

Those are just 2 of hundreds of things that have happened sense Johnny died. Never happened after the death of other loved ones. Now I am getting some signs from my ex and activity from Johnny has increased again. I think he does not want Denis around me without him being here

More about that later. Some very strange things have happened to family members sense Denis died.

[cindy0519]

I almost posted something very similar a week or so ago but thought people would find me odd

In March we went to a place in Yarnell Az called St Joesph of the Mountain (it is a stations of the cross in the desert - each station has a cross and/or a statute). While Dad was not religous from a church going perspective, he was very active in the Masonic Lodge which is bibically based so he very much believed in God, Jesus, the teachings of the Bible etc. I suppose in his own way he was very religious - he just never felt the need for to be in a church building to talk to God or feel his presence. I am Catholic so Dad thought I would really enjoy going since this was the beginning of the season of Lent.

While here Dad tells me that he feels very much at peace here and that this is the only place that he has felt completely free from pain. He remarks that he truly feels the presence of God here and finds much comfort and peace in that.

We took many pictures that day - some with Dad in them some without. Upon getting home and beginning to download the pictures, I notice that every picture with Dad in it has a beam of light that completely surrounds him. Upon beginning to edit a picture of Dad sitting across from a rock and near the statue of Mary holding Jesus after he is removed from the cross - I run the edit functions and look at the result ... and a face appears on the rock across from Dad - plain as day! I cannot at this point tell who the face is, just that it is a face (eyes, nose and mouth very clear at this point). I think it is my Grandmother (Dad's mom)and at this time I really think that these are all signs that someone was watching over Dad and things were going to be alright.

Three days after Dad dies and the day before his memorial service, we (DH, my sister, my brother and myself) go back to Yarnell. It was where Dad had felt claimed to feel the most at peace and I really needed to go back. SM and one sister said that they could not go -- it would be too sad for them so they stayed behind. We really took our time and went through the each station on our way to the statue in the picture -- each of us secretly eager to see if the face would be visible to us on this visit. I reach the statue of Mary holding Jesus and turn to look at the rock and the face is there..but now it has a beard and is VERY much the image of my Dad! There is no longer any question in my mind, the face which previously was no very clear is now crystal clear and has very defined features, including a beard and a neck. I sit here for a long time before leaving and return twice as I certain that Dad is here and I really need to acknowledge and feel his presence. No matter where I looked at this area from I could very clearly see the face on the rock.

We get home and SM ask how the trip was and if I could see the face. I tell her yes and in fact even DH could see it. She asks to look at pictures and we scan through them on the camera. We come to a picture of the risen Christ with his arms outstretched (the statue is copper and has a lot of green patina due to aging), and she says stop..can you zoom in on his face? Not understanding why... I of course zoom in ....and the face of the statute is very different in the picture than in person. The face is all white (no green at all) and is very much my Dad's face. Not his plump jolly face that we all knew prior to his becoming so ill..but his face thin, sunken cheeck face just days prior to his death. DH doesn't believe us as we begin to exclaim in surprize that Dad has given us a much needed sign that he arrived in heaven and is ok! He takes the camera and goes back to the picture and zooms in and immediately drops his $800 toy on the floor in shear shock and amazement! He often has a hard time "believing" in stuff like this but is overwhelmed by what he has just seen.

I know in my heart that Dad was telling us that he was ok and with God. I find it odd and very comforting at the same time that we were there on the 3rd day after his death and he chose to the statue of the risen Christ to let us know he is ok. Makes me teary just thinking about it...

[Don Wood]

The most striking one I have had occurred about 8 years ago. I lost both parents when I was in my early twenties, Dad to heart and Mom to peritonitis after gall bladder surgery. My only sister died of heart 13 years ago.

I was on a retreat and in meditation when I had a vision of my parents holding me (as an adult) in their laps, my sister looking on smiling, and my mom said very clearly, "We are very proud of you!" I had tears in my eyes when I came out of the meditation. Don

[lilyjohn]

Thank you. I just love reading this. It makes me feel not so alone. So many things have happened that at times I still question my sanity of coarse it is said questioning it is a sure sign that you are sane

As most of you know my ex husband died in February. We were married for 41 years. Not the best of marriages but still a lot of feelings do remain. His death shocked and saddened me. What it has done to my children and grandchildren has been the hardest to see.

The first time I got in my car after his death the song Boot Scooten Boogie came on the radio. He would always turn the radio as high as it would go when that song came on. To anoy me as much as hear the song. The morning of his funeral my granddaughter put on a pair of pants and in the pocket found a nickle dated 1942. The year Denis was born. Because of his love of Mardi Gras we all attended the parades. We knew that is what he would have wanted. There was a song that he liked to play with the kids to. It is called Big But Woman. When that song would come on he would dance with them and they would bump butts. Everywhere they went that song was playing.

My daughter in law was riding in one of the parades. She felt a comforing arm on her shoulder. The feeling that he was standing behind me keeping an eye on the children as he always had was so strong that I kept turning around expecting to see him there.

In the past couple of weeks I have been finding change everywhere. At first I thought it was my new billfold that was not holding it. I found it on the bed and on the car seat. It always looks almost new no matter what year. Significance is that Denis was a avid coin collecter and had gotten severeal of the grandchildren envolved.

I'm getting these signs and I keep asking him to please help the grandchildren and children, especially our oldest grandson. He is the one who it has hit the hardest. I really worry about him.

Anyway Sunday morning at my sister in law's I took Misty for a walk and saw something shiney. Sure enough it was a nickle and two pennies. I said "So Denis you are here". About that time a rooster crowed (one of my signs from Johnny). I said so you are here too Johnny and as if to confirm it the rooster crowed again!

Now to what my son told me Sunday on the phone. He is a very cautious person. It takes a lot to make him believe and I had no idea that he did. He told me of 2 things that have happened to him and one that happened to Denis' brother.

My son was at the house. He decided to set in his Dad's chair for a while. His shoes were sitting there so he slipped them on then leaned back. He got a good pluck on the ear! He said "okay Daddy I'm getting out of your chair" and that was the end of it.

My son also likes a dip now and again. He had a plug in his mouth and fell asleep. He awoke because his dad was shaking him and telling him to wake up

Now to my brother in law. He has very bad sleep apnea. He has the machine to help him breathe at night or he would die. He fell asleep without it. The phone rang and Denis told him it was time to wake up. He woke up and found the phone in his hand!

With all of this going on I wonder how we could not believe. As for Johnny showing up more lately. I can just hear him saying "you don't think I'm going to leave you alone with him do you?" He would never admit it but he was very jealous where I am concerned just like I am with him.

Ok now let's have some more from someone else.

[kamataca]

My grandfather died two year ago of cancer. My grandmother finds signs often. Recently she told me that she went to the Senior Citizen's Center for a meeting (She and Papa went there together often when he was healthy for meetings, dances, etc.) Mutti was there early, and was alone in the silent room. Quietly, the speakers began to crackle, and the Blue Danube Waltz began playing. It was faint, but Mutti heard it, clear as a bell.

Mutti is from Vienna, and she met Papa over there when he was a soldier during the war. She left all of her family behind to move to America and bbe with Papa. The Blue Danube was a very special song for them. She had been feeling very lonely that day, and she has no doubt but that Papa was holding her in his arms, ready to dance, at that moment.

The music faded away, but she was reminded that she is not alone.

Kelly

[Connie22]

When my dad died unexpectily in 1994, he was divorced from my mom. They still loved each other, they just couldn't live together. My dad was an alcoholic. My mom remarried, but still talked of my dad often. Mom was dx with LC on 01.01.06 and sailed through all of the treatments, she would make reference to Dad helping her get through it. In early April on a Mon. afternoon, she had some friends over for a little prayer party. It was a really nice party. The next day at work, I was alone in the office, thinking about how nice the afternoon before was, and how good mom was doing, when the phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and it said my Dad's name. I sat there not knowing if I should answer it or not. Of course I did, and it was a woman from 360 miles away (the town mom and dad are from). She asked for someone, wrong number, and of course I had to tell her what had just happened. She had no idea why caller ID said that. It wasn't even close to her name.When the rest of the people got back to the office, I had to show them. some of them were really freaked out. I wonder now, if my dad was preparing me for mom's death. If he was calling her home.

Connie

[NancyT]

Love this question, this just all happened in the last month.

Several months ago when my Dad was very ill we had to take him to the ER. As my brother and I were walking my Dad to the car, a Giant butterfly was on the ground. My brother picked him up and my Dad said" poor fella, looks like he is at the end of his life" my Dad told my brother to put him way up high on a bush. When we got to the hospital my Dad was admitted and when settled in his room my brother said" Dad, look behind you" right above his bed was a large piture of butterflies.

My Dad passed away on 4/25/06. On his way to the funeral service, my brother was driving up from LA and suddenly a ton of butterflies were all over his car. He was overwhemed by this. Weeks later my kids and I were on a cruise, as my daughter and I were leaving for a ceramic class we lost our key and looked all over to find a mass card from my Dad's service. Neither one of us brought it....maybe it was in a jacket and fell out?? We went to the class and I decided to paint a butterfly. I thought it would be nice in my Dad's house(I am there every weekend getting it ready to sell). A few days later we were going back to the same class to finish our art and a second mass card appeared in our room. We went onto the class to finish.

When we got home I went to my Dad's house and placed the butterfly I had painted in his kitchen. ANother brother ( I have 4 !) was taking pictures of the renivation I have done on my Dad's house. He then emailed our family the photos.....the last photo was

a butterfly he found in his car as he was leaving my Dad's house! It was the EXACT color and markings I had painted 2 weeks earlier and had just put in the kitchen!

I know.... it is my Dad.....

And Grace...My Dad was born in October too!!

NancyT

[tnmynatt]

A couple of days after Charlie's memorial service I dreamed that I saw him and was able to kiss him goodbye. The weird thing was that I couldn't feel his lips, though. Just like the movie "Ghost."

The other thing strange about it was that it was a witnessing opportunity of sorts. My FIL was there, too. He said that Charlie had a wound or something wrong with his neck and face. I told his FIL that that was impossible because he had been healed. When we looked back at Charlie, he was perfectly healthy again. Very strange.

Wasn't going to share since it was so strange. Anyway, I felt like I got closure with Charlie with the opportunity to see him and kiss him goodbye.

[lilyjohn]

Tina I am so glad that you shared your goodby kiss with us. I too had a visit from my Johnny about 2 months after he passed. I didn't get a kiss I got snuggled. I still can't say for sure that I was asleep when I felt his arms go around me. I jumped and looked over my shoulder and Johnny was there. He said "it's alright I just want to snuggle you". That was the first good nights sleep I had had sense his death. I felt him holding me all night. Asleep or not I know it was not an ordinary dream. It was a visit because I can still see him over my shoulder as clear as I did that night and it has been 3 and a half years :

Something I want to add. I started sleeping with his robe the first night I spent home alone. The next morning after his "visit" his robe was on the far side of the bed, almost falling in the floor. There was just enough room between it and me for Johnny

[myrnalu]

I have had many dreams of loved ones who passed and were telling me things I needed to know.I lost both parents and 3 brothers and have heard from them all.My younger brother was 4 when my mom died,and one night he sat up in his bed and was talking.I was 12 at the time,I went to see what was wrong and he said our Mom was sitting at the bottom of his bed and told him she was sorry she couldnt stay with us but for him to listen to me because i would look out for him.

Nobody will ever convince me that she wasnt there.A four year old dont make things up like that,He saw her.

[wyogirl]

Wow, all of the stories shared here are amazing, and give a sense of hope and peace! I also had an experience with my mom after we burried my dad's ashes in May. We burried the ashes in a family plot in NC (none of the family lives there full time, it is a vacation spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains). It is high up on a mountain, and in a very beautiful, peaceful spot. The day after the interrment service, my mom and I were visiting dad's grave one last time before we had to leave for home. As we were walking back out to the main road, we looked up and saw a large whitetail deer buck only 20 or 30 feet away from us. He was looking at us, and didn't move for several seconds. It was the first deer I have ever seen in many years of vacationing there. We knew it was my dad saying goodbye. My mom's mother had a similar experience there after my grandfather died (he is also burried there). She had a close encounter with a deer as well. It was very comforting, and also very cool.

[myrnalu]

This is so familiar.My brother loved deer,always had deer pictures on his wall.Said they were so peaceful,couldnt imagine anyone shooting them.I was telling Randy about this not long ago.Every time we visit my brothers grave there have been deer around his grave.Once there was even one bedded down in front of his headstone.I swear,hes feeding them and they are watching over him.

ofcourse they run when we visit,but I think hes telling us hes at peace with his deer friends.

[lilyjohn]

Wow the deer must really mean something. I told you that I have had hundreds of experiences. I also had several with one or more deer. One in particular stands out in my mind. I was writing mine and Johnny's story at the time. It was so strange it became a part of my story. Following is what I wrote. Notice how the word peace comes up just as it did in your stories

The strangest of my experiences happened one late afternoon. I had been writing about the day that Johnny had gone to the hospital in Aberdeen. Father's Day 2002. I was describing a picture of him that Valerie had taken that day in the car on their way back to their house. Johnny was laughing and playing with his grandson. I wrote "after the day he had had what courage it took for him to do that". After writing that I couldn't get that picture out of my mind. I had to stop writing and the pain of that memory and picture tormented me every minute. No matter how hard I tried that picture of him and what he had been through that day haunted me. I was close to losing control. Then a movement caught my eye.

When I looked toward the window a deer was passing in front of my window only a few feet away. I had often seen them pass by but that was the closest that any of them had gotten until that day. Just a few days before I had seen three deer together and I suspected that the others were here that time. I walked to the window and sure enough two more followed the first. The second passed by without stopping or looking this way but the third acted differently. It stopped about ten feet away from my window and stared straight at me. We made and held eye contact for several minutes. At first I just watched to see what it would do but slowly instead of seeing the deer there it was as if we had traded places. I could see myself standing at that window through the deers eyes. I could see my pain and somehow knew that the deer sensed it and that is why it had stopped to stare at me.

After a few seconds that feeling passed and the deer started to move on. Once in the road it stopped and looked back at me. Many times I have gone to leave a place and looked back to get one last look to carry with me. I had the strangest feeling that was what that deer was doing. Getting a picture of me standing there in it's mind to remember. It started walking again and the others stopped and looked back waiting for it to join them. Suddenly it stumbled and nearly fell then caught itself and continued on. That is when I saw the limp and realized that it was burdened by a severe injury of some kind that had left it partially crippled. I said out loud "What courage it took for him to do that" exactly the same words I had written about Johnny just a short time earlier. After that I would try to visualize the picture of Johnny that had caused me so much emotional pain earlier but in it's place the only picture I could get was of myself standing at that window as the deer must have seen me. No longer was I depressed but instead had a strange feeling of peace.

I have no idea what that incident means or if it really means anything. It was just something very strange that gave me a new sense of peace at a time when I was having a very hard time. I was to see deer in my yard many times after that and each time I would get that feeling of peace again but always more strongly when the crippled deer that I started thinking of as "Joe Joe" came to visit.

[hopeandstrength]

I have many of these since my dad died. This is one of them: A day or two after my dad had died, I had kept the kids home from school and we were at my mom's house. My kids were watching TV in the family room which you can see from the breakfast area. My son was sitting in my dad's recliner, which he spent a lot of time in the last year. It was one of the only chairs that he could get comfortable in. The remote for the TV was sitting on one of the armrests. My mom called the kids to the table to eat and Noah left the TV on. My mom asked him to go turn off the TV and Noah said, "No, I want to watch." About 30 seconds later the TV shut off by itself. The remote was laying on the armrest where my dad always kept it. I think my dad was reminding Noah to listen to his grandma.

Another day, when I was feeling really sad, and after I had asked my dad for a sign that he was okay, a really big, white crane landed in my backyard! It was huge. This is strange because I don't live on a lake or have a big piece of property. I just live in a normal subdivision with lots of houses around me. The crane just hung out for a few minutes and then flew off...

Keep this stuff coming. It really helps! I ask for signs quite frequently and really think my dad is with us all of the time. It brings me such comfort.

Cathy

[hollyanne]

On Christmas Day (two weeks before my mom died) our neighbor brought Caroline (who was four days old) a purple onesie and a green velvet blanket. I wrapped her all up in and took her to see my mom. My mom said "Look at our little Christmas Crocus." We laiughed about it and that was about it.

A few days after my mom's service, some of her friends were with me at my mom's house...I saw something in the kitchen and jusy broke down crying. I said I needed some time. I had gone to the store that a.m. and bought some diet coke -- which was down in my locked car. It was snowing pretty hard that day and I went down to the car. I remember thionking that the snow was really coming down as there were no footprints or car tracks other than mine....very serene

I unlocked the car and grabbed the diet coke. I could see something poking out from behind the seat. I picked it up --- it was a blooming purple crocus in a little plastic nursery type pot )not nice) -- there was no note, etc. The sticker said Crocus: 4 inch pot and had a name of a nursery on it.

I walked inside with it -- no one noticed it (and I know that no one knew the story anyway) They told me I had the sweetest smile and what was going on. I said "I don't know, but I have to make some calls." I called the stiore where I had been thinking maybe I picked it up -- "Are you kidding me, there are no crocus blooming in Utah in January."

There is no explanation other than my mom.

[aurora06]

I've experienced many "coincidences" since mom died. I had visions of her twice and what I think was a visitation dream when I turned suddenly in my dream and she was standing right there. There was no other background just mom and me. She was smiling and told me that she's alright. When I told someone of the dream they asked me if her lips were moving. I said no they weren't b/c she was smiling. They felt it was a visitation dream, too.