My dad was a jolly, friendly and kind man. He had been sick for some time in the VA hospital. My husband, Pete, and I would visit him often. One night, for reasons I cannot explain, I couldn't leave Dad. I had my husband tell my brother to come up to see him. My brother said, "I'll see Dad tomorrow. I'm sick and tired of you guys telling me to go and see Dad!" Pete came into my dad's room and, assuming that my dad was asleep, he told me what my brother said. Dad wasn't asleep and when he heard what my brother said, he grimaced.

After we ate, we started back to my dad's room. Pete said, "Why do you want to stay here tonight? Let's tell your dad goodnight and we'll come back tomorrow." I was as shocked with my reply as my husband was when I said, "Because Dad needs me. He'll be dead by 5 a.m. I won't let him die alone."

Around 4 a.m., Dad's breathing became even more labored. My husband ran to the nurses' station and got the nurse. The nurse checked for a heartbeat and said, "He's gone. I'll call the doctor. The doctor came in and pronounced my dad's death at 5 a.m.

Three days after my dad died, I was in the kitchen when I felt Dad's presence. I could feel that Dad was trying to communicate with me. I could also feel his frustration at my not being able to hear him. I looked at the location where I felt dad was and said, "Dad, its ok. I know you're trying to speak to me and I know you're there! I love you so much! Whatever you do, please don't appear to me, because I don't think I could handle that!"

A few days later, while I was upstairs in the office, my husband ran upstairs and said, "I just saw a shadow of a man's head and shoulder in the kitchen!" Being an engineer by trade, my husband is a very logical man. He said that he went into the kitchen and looked at the shadow from every angle to see if it was an anomaly of lighting. I told my him, "Oh, that's just dad." I went downstairs but I didn't see anything. I did feel dad's presence and I told Dad that it was ok and that I knew he was there.

Several days later, while my husband and I were watching TV in the living room, we heard a crash in the kitchen. We looked at each other, both afraid to move. My eyes followed my husband to the kitchen doorway and I saw him turn pale as he said, "Honey, look at this!" There on the cold stove was a small plate. It had broken in half and collapsed onto itself into the shape of a cross! I knew it was my dad trying to communicate with us. Dad used to be a minister.

Two months after my dad died, I had a dream about him. In my dream, he and I were standing in a wheat field. I could touch and smell him. My dad held me in his arms for what seemed like an hour. I said, "Dad, I miss you so much. Why did you have to leave me?" He said, using his pet name for me, "Mouse, I'm ok. Don't be sad. I'll be back soon." I said to him, "What do you mean? You're dead!" My dad just smiled. That's when I woke up.

About two and a half months later, my sister called and told me that my brother and his wife were pregnant. This wouldn't have been noteworthy but for the fact that they had been married for seventeen years and have been unable to have children.

A few months after that, my sister-in-law sent me a picture of her ultrasound. In the picture, clear as day, was a picture of the fetus that looked just like Dad, sleeping in the womb like he slept in life, with his hand under his face. My brother and his wife later had a healthy baby girl. My brother had said he didn't want to see my dad the night he died. My dad heard my husband tell me this and was upset by it. He died a few hours later. I think my dad chose to come back as my brother's child for this reason.

Frankie
Please respond to john@beyondreligion.com

Posted May 31, 2007