A grandmother died suddenly in February, 1996. Her daughter had a 22-month-old baby girl, and this little girl and her grandmother had had a very special loving relationship. The little girl was bright and unusually articulate and her grandmother went out of her way to see her almost every day.

No one knew how to tell the baby that her grandmother had died. When it came time for the funeral service, the daughter left the baby with her in-laws. Following the service and the reception, the mother went to her in-law's residence to pick up her daughter. She fastened her in her car seat in the rear seat of the car and started to drive home.

While they were traveling, the baby started talking quite excitedly. Despite the fact that she was only 22 months old, she was very articulate and could speak plainly enough that most people were able to understand her. This time, however, she was speaking a kind of gibberish which her mother could not understand.

Curious, she asked the little girl who she was talking to. The child answered in a somewhat impatient tone, "Grandma!" Her mother was startled and asked where Grandma was. In the mirror, she could see the baby gesture clearly to the open space beside her on the seat.

The baby went on chattering for a while, and after a moment her mother asked, "What is Grandma saying?" And her daughter answered, "Mommy, Grandma says she's happy. She's in heaven now."

Again, no one had yet told her that her grandmother had died.