Before I explain the title of this post, maybe I should precede it with telling you that I do not believe in ghosts.
And, I should probably also tell you that I’m not crazy, either, (at least not any crazier than the average Joe).
But, right now, I’m thinking in threes.
To tell you why, I need to go back a few years. Shortly after my brother, Dennis, died in 2004, I tried my hand at communicating with him in the “afterlife.” It happened quite by accident. One day, while driving to Charleston to run a few errands, I was thinking about him and called out his name several times while driving down Highway 176. I was wondering if he could hear me, and so I asked him out loud if he could. “Do you know I’m thinking about you and miss you, today,” I asked? “Give me a sign, brother, to let me know you can hear me, please.” I wondered how he would indeed give me a signal if he could and started thinking that maybe he would come to me in the form of a deer in the field along the side of the road or a hawk overhead or something. I thought it would be cool to get a message, but really didn’t think that I would. I got the whole way into town and got a little teary eyed a few times, but I never received a sign. On my way home, long after I had given up on seeing a sign, a big old ugly turkey buzzard flew right in front of the car! Oh, yes, that would be Dennis: not a graceful hawk or a beautiful deer, but the lowly turkey buzzard! When I got home, I relayed the story to Brian and we agreed that it would do no harm and actually be a lovely thought to believe it was a sign from Dennis.
The second time I received a message from Dennis was not too long after that first incident. I was working part-time as a newspaper reporter and was working late one night with my boss doing page layout for the upcoming issue. My boss called me into her office as she was instant messaging her friend in Utah to ask me what my recently deceased brother looked like. Her friend had just gotten a vision while messaging my boss of a guy in jeans, boots, denim jacket, ball cap and she didn’t recognize him. He was holding three yellow roses, did either of us know who he might be? Well, the outfit sounded like my brother and, yes, the yellow roses were significant, too as they were my mothers favorite.
A third incident occurred several years ago when my sisters were visiting. We had spent the day in Charleston and Folly Beach, acting like tourists, but also visiting a few of my brother’s hangouts. We even stepped in to the Sand Dollar, the bar on Folly Island, where he died. As we were on our way home and talking about him and I was relaying my two paranormal incidents to them, a buzzard flew right in front of the car. Yep, it was almost in exactly the same place where I had seen the other buzzard months earlier.
So, the other day I went to Charleston to do some shopping at the Pet Smart. And, as I usually do, when I got to “that place” on Highway 176, I yelled out to my brother. I said, “Hey, Dennis, How are you doing? Can you hear me? Can you do something to give me a sign? How’s Mom and Dad? Can they hear me? Why don’t you all get together and summon up all your energies and give me a sign? One sign from each of you? Something in threes? Yes, like three hawks or three deer or even a set of triplets at the pet store, I know you can do it.”
And, I concentrated hard the rest of the trip there and back. I’ve been concentrating on it for days, but so far, nothing.
So, I’ve been thinking about why I am even doing this thing. It seems silly in a way. But, I wonder, if maybe, when a person first dies, his spirit hangs around for a little while. I mean, if the spirit is a living thing, it just lost its house! So, maybe it takes a little while – a few days, or weeks, or months, or even longer, to leave the in-between place of this world and move on to the next.
Maybe that is a crazy notion and the only reason a person sees signs is because he looks until he finds them. Purely coincidental. Or, maybe, it’s not so crazy, but my brother’s spirit is finally too far away now to hear me. Or maybe, I just need to concentrate a little harder.
What do you think?
I’ve noticed it’s when I finally give up looking – when I say, “Oh forget the whole thing,” and move my attention to something else entirely, that my sign usually comes.
Sometimes, we’re trying so hard to see a sign that we miss the more subtle whispers and glimmers that come. FOr example, I suspect that the angels will start sending you “buzzards” in other forms: Song lyrics, advertisements… i”ve even read stories in which people received signs from the clothing other people were wearing – like the woman whose angels used butterflies to communicate their love but found herself in the hospital, awaiting surgery. Surely, her angels wouldn’t be able to send a butterfly there! But sure enough, the nurse who came to wheel her to surgery was wearing scrubs in a butterfly print. She was literally covered in butterflies!
Let the signs come however they come. Trust me, they will.
Great story, by the way!
Thanks Amy! And, yes, I think you are right – the signs do come to us all the time. For me, it was learning to be open to them.
How excited we all were when the turkey buzzard flew in front of your car! I don’t know if it was a sign or not, but I believed it was Dennis’s oddball sense of humor. Also, the day he died, “April Fool’s Day’ …. I’ve always felt he hand picked that day to “check out.”
I also believe people come to you in dreams. (Maybe it’s just that you miss them soooo much that you dream about them.) Dad is frequently in my dreams, in the background, protecting me. I’ve also had some funny dreams about Mom. My friend, Char, lost her son about 10 years ago. It was a very difficult time for her, to say the least! Shortly after his death he came to me in a dream and said, “Tell my mom I’m OK.”
Maybe we get “signs” all the time…we just don’t know how to interpret them!
Wow! Great comments, Linda! You might be right; maybe we do get signs all the time and we just don’t know how to interpret them!
I think you’re right on the mark with your interpretation of Dennis’ sense of humor signs. THe angels often customize signs from our loved ones in Heaven so we’ll recognize–and believe in them.
I’d love to hear Char’s story. If you want, you, or she, can post it to my FB page, where Im collecting angel stories for my new book. Or you can contact me by email.
Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Oscar/179705001686?ref=search&sid=1040835951.1916236940..1
Char is my sister Linda’s best friend. I will talk to Linda this weekend about it!
Hey, Cindy. I highly recommend the book Ghost hunters: William James and the search for scientific proof of life … By Deborah Blum. It’s an excellent read by a Pulitzer prize winning science writer. You’ll like it.
Oh, Cindy!So, what are you saying? Scientific proof? I’m scared! I like saying that I don’t believe in ghosts! But, yes, thanks for the recommendation! I’ll do it!
Hey little peep, I believe that loved ones go quickly to that place in heaven. Some stay for a little while as they fiqure out what happened to them and that most choose to go to the loving light. God knows how much we are grieving on earth and will try to lift up our spirits with signs and wonders. I believe if you want and need that sign ask God if he can help give you a sign so that you can have peace. Remember God knows our deepest desires. I believe he’ll provide it for you by keeping your faith in our heavenly Father. Love you sis
Maybe you’re “tri-ing” too hard? Relax. I’m just so sorry you lost a sibling.
Truth be told, I haven’t been looking for a sign for the last several days. Partly, because I have been so sick with the flu and in bed, but mostly because I’m thinking that Dennis is finally at a place where he no longer hears me, which would be very good for him, I reckon. If you believe in that sort of thing, of course!
You know, the Celts were very big on threes. Their entire cosmology revolved around the number three. I’m big on 9s myself. (which of course is three threes)
Mari, this is the first time I have ever thought in threes. So far, it has not been fruitful, but I remain optimistic!
Celebs always die in threes….wierd
Yes and sometimes fours and fives.
Keep going, Cindy. It’s awesome. The more you do it, the more synchronicity you’ll see in your life.
I’m not crazy either, rather the most down to earth, practical, responsible, scientific person I know. But unlike you, I do believe in ghosts. However I think they only show a sign if they feel like it….perhaps Uncle Dennis was just busy that day…showing a sign to somebody else perhaps? Ask him again….
Anytime I envision Dennis being busy it involves a
waterfallbudweiserfall! Yes, perhaps he was busy…