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I am 1 of 9 children. Our parents had been married 28 years when they got a divorce. In April of 2009, our dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and he had cirrhosis of the liver (3 packs a day smoker and alcoholic). Thanksgiving week of that same year (2009), our mom was diagnosed with colon cancer and the cancer spread to her liver. We were shocked because mom rarely felt sick. Luckily, since there were so many people in our family between us sibling and our spouses, young adult children, several of us split up to take turns taking each parent for chemo and radiation treatments. 8/22/2010, our dad died, alone in his apartment. Some of us were in touch with him daily and we'd try to visit frequently but with his depression, most of the time he just wanted to be left alone. Mom, on the other hand always told us- and how she lived showed us- that her 9 children and 17 grandchildren and about 6 months before she died, she was able to meet and hold her 1st great-grandchild-- anyway, all of us were her life, her flowers, her jewels. Mom always attended our family functions- dad did not. 7 months after dad died, our mom passed away shortly after 2am on a Thursday morning--3/24/2011 (anniversary of my baptism). My oldest sister was staying with mom the last 6 weeks of mom's life in mom's home- hospice care. We all took turns visiting and helping out. I've had several after death experiences regarding mom but only 1 regarding my dad. Mom and I had always been very close-she said we had radar because she and I usually would get a feeling and one would think of the other and we'd call each other. We each seemed to sense when the other was depressed, etc. Very soon after mom's passing, I was sleeping and suddenly woke up because I sensed something and it was as though a very bright light was shining in my face, though my eyes were closed. I shot up into a seated position and let out a loud startled sound and my eyes opened it was as though the bright light flashed and filled the room in less than a second, it seemed-a quick burst of the brightest light. Somehow, I felt it was mom. I wasn't scared. 2nd experience was while, again, I was asleep and suddenly, I felt and saw (my eyes were closed) the forearm of one of mom's arms touch me as if she was putting her arm around me. I could see and feel her skin! 2 weeks after mom's passing, I was still grieving, of course. I was in my pjs and my youngest brother had stopped by shortly. After he left, I went back to my bedroom. For some reason, I was drawn to the window closest to my bed and I looked out. Standing outside my bedroom window, on the lawn, was a Robin. It was still and staring right at me and I felt a little excitement because right away, I felt the Robin was a sign from mom. Made me smile! After that I had about 3 "visitations" from her while I was asleep and each experience brought me comfort. When she died, I felt as though my life wasn't as important anymore. 1 of the visitations (all happened when I was asleep): mom was running down the steps from her bedroom into our kitchen. She was much younger- probably 40's or early 50's (she had just turned 70 in January 2011; passed 3/24/11). She was wearing a plaid shirt she had worn many, many years before, dark blue jeans, her hair was still strawberry blonde but getting some white hair and she was carrying a work vest she used when working a cask register but she had been retired for a number of years before she passed. Mom looked right at me with the biggest smile and though it wasn't as though she had a halo or was in a spotlight, she radiated bright light from within is the best way I can explain it. Pure joy and peace - that's what I couldn't mistake - it was her way of letting me know she didn't want me grieving so much because she was whole and happier than could be explained in terms that would be fitting. Her mouth didn't move but I heard her tell me that she was in the best place and no longer suffering or tired. It was incredible how her clear, bright blue eyes looked straight into mine! She quickly ran or skipped from the kitchen to the living room. I didn't notice her legs or feet and it was as though she was floating, but quickly. A large dark man in dark work pants, wearing a baseball cap and worn white t- shirt was on a ladder at the front door- seemed to be fixing something and I thought he was changing the house number. I felt the man and mom were aware of each other's presence but they didn't look at each other or speak. Though the man on the ladder was blocking the front doorway, mom had no problem gliding through the tiny space and it was as though she was heading to work- she was still smiling as she disappeared around the corner. It was a sunny, beautiful, pleasant day. I then woke up. Of course I thought I was just having a dream about mom be caused I already missed her terribly; was this wishful thinking on my part? I doubted myself at first but gradually came to a conclusion that it was a visitation from mom. Somehow, I just knew it in my heart and mind. Everything in this "dream" was very vivid and clear-every detail; and there was color, and she had looked me directly in my eyes when I received her message that she was better than fine. Usually, my dreams are blurry, foggy and it's a gloomy gray white. Even if mom was in one of those dreams, she was looking down instead of at me, she was older and not as healthy and she wasn't happy. There was no smile, no color, no eye contact. I could sense others in my family were around but I couldn't see them in the foggy atmosphere. I'd wake up feeling sad- continuing to grieve. I had about 2 other "visitations " from mom. She was in 2 other places and wearing a light blue shirt, wasn't wearing her eyeglasses. I did not see her body below her waist. Again, she was smiling her biggest smile, she looked me in the eyes and again, her mouth didn't move but I knew she was reassuring me that she was in the best place- with God, so I shouldn't be sad. She was beaming but again, the brightest light came from within her - pure and joyful! Each dream was very quick but 5+ years later, after her death, I can remember every detail and those "visits " from mom still bring comfort and a smile to my face. I've never had dreams such as these before- ever! The only "visit" from dad was via an old black rotary phone that rang in my "dream". I had actually tried calling dad but couldn't get through. I remember a vague, quick sound of the phone ringing but he didn't answer. Next thing I knew, I was holding the phone in my hand but I don't remember it ringing. I could clearly hear dad's voice and he chuckled and though I hadn't said anything yet to him, he knew why I was trying to get in touch with him. In his "Bawlmer" voice, he said to me (I could tell he was very happy and smiling on the other end) : " hon, I know, I know . I've been meaning to get in touch with you.." I was a little annoyed but at the same time, I was glad to hear his voice-it was so real, so clear! I started talking, almost getting ready to give him a little lecture about his not getting back to me. Then I stopped and was confused because I realized- dad had died a few years before so how could he be on the phone with me? Somehow I knew that dad knew what I was thinking, what I was going to say and how I was feeling. I tried to talk again but dad was gone. It was as though his line became disconnected but there was only quiet. No busy sound or dial tone or any noise coming through that phone. I was very disappointed that all I got from dad was a few words and a chuckle from him. I felt as though dad was amused that I was confused but he knew I would understand his "call". He was telling me with his chuckle and very happy voice that he was - and is- fine so I don't need to worry about him. He's happy, healthy and I guess because he knew I had already had communication from mom almost right away after she died, that he had better contact me or I'd continue to be concerned as to why I hadn't "heard" or seen him! I think I was in the 1st house my parents had- which has long been torn down - from the corner of my left eye, I could make out the brown bannister of that old house that we loved so much and I knew mom was standing a little distance away from me, behind me and a little to the right, not far from the phone. I didn't see her but I knew she was with me and she was smiling brightly, even younger than in the 1st "visit". She had something to do with getting dad to contact me and she was smiling because now I had heard from him and knew he, too, was in the best of places and with his parents and other deceased loved ones. I sensed mom was behind me, as if to tell me I didn't need to see her this time because she had already communicated with me several times and she knew it was important for me to focus on dad's contact with me because she knew his contact would be very short, very quick. She was then gone. They both had wanted me to know they are very happy and at peace. It was almost like I sensed after that contact with dad that in Heaven --which wasn't just up in the clouds but all around us, just a different dimension -- that there was a party like atmosphere, a huge reunion with countless people-there was no end to this reunion , no number I could count as far as how many people there were. I could vaguely hear laughing and talking and feel their joy and love, though I couldn't see any of them- it was as though they were in the clouds and everyone knew each other, despite that during their lifetime, not all of these people knew each other. I'm sorry this is so long-I was going to write more! But these experiences are real and have positively affected me, knowing my parents are doing just fine- such comfort . Losing both parents within 7 months of each other was especially difficult because them my siblings and I felt like- and are- adult orphans.
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
April 13, 2016
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