All editorial content by Zsuzsana Summer, www.arcanamatrix.comIssue date: Saturday, February 10, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------ P A R A N O R M A L I N S I D E R ------------------------------------------------------------ Dear Readers, I often have questions from my readers and clients about how they might be assured of the welfare or the continued existence of their loved ones on the other side, and seeing as this week is Valentine's Day, the day of celebrating love, I thought I'd share a few amazing stories of love connections with you. These stories have been sent in to me by my readers, and I thank each and every one of them for sharing such wonderful inspirations. Visits from the other side often take the form of apparitions, voices, dreams, physical touches or demonstrations, apports, and meaningful synchronicities. A very dear lady named Irene, the mother of one of our best friends, passed away two years ago. On the day of her funeral, about an hour and a half drive away, there was a horrible blizzard and my husband and I were stuck for several hours on the highway behind an awful accident as we tried to make our way there. We missed the funeral service, arriving at the tail end of the luncheon, and I was devastated at missing the ceremony and burial. I know she didn't mind though. I can't remember exactly which night it was but it was only days after her death, and I woke up abruptly in the middle of the night to find my bedroom engulfed with the smell of perfume. I have no doubt it was Irene coming to say goodbye. Later, I was gifted with a winter jacket that belonged to Irene and to this day, after 2 years of constant wear, I can still smell her perfume on the collar, this in spite of the fact that I wear a totally different scent. Last month, I woke up one morning with strong thoughts of Irene and I was puzzled as to she was making her presence felt so strongly. It occurred to me that it had been about 2 years since her passing and realizing that, I immediately located the announcement of her passing, thinking that perhaps this was the exact anniversary of her death. Well, I was not quite right - it was in fact the anniversary of the day of her funeral. I know that Irene came by to say hello and I hope it won't be the last time. I have many pictures taken at the family gathering after Irene's funeral and they are full of amazing blue orbs and streaks - I am sure she was there with us too. I hope you are all inspired by the following stories of caring, compassion and everlasting love connections across the veil. ------------------------------------------------------------ My husband's name was Charlie. He died the 18 of July 2002. We had celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary on the 13th of that month. On the morning of July 18 we were getting ready to go to the lake when he suddenly had a heart attack and was taken from me. That was the most awful day of my life - instead of going camping, he was going to the funeral home. I could not seem to get over it and barely could function after that. Charlie always had a habit of blowing on my face when I was busy. One morning about a month after he had died I was getting ready to go to town and I felt something blow on the side of my face, the way he had always done. I was in my house alone. I put my hand to my face and cried. I knew it was his way of letting me know that he was alright. Then about a week later I heard someone laugh in the other room and I knew he had once again visited me. I know that he is looking after me even though he is no longer with me. I also know that I will be with him again someday when it is my time to go. Sincerely, Martha ***************************************************** I am the youngest of five children. One of my sisters died when I was a young mother. She and I were the closest of sisters and I cherished her more than I can explain. She died at only 35 years old and left three children behind. I grieved for her so deeply that I was literally ill from it. The years passed by and the grief never left. It was affecting my life in a very hurtful way. One night when I had her on my mind and was crying myself to sleep, in the middle of the night I awoke to a bright light in our bedroom. The light was brilliant, but soothing, and as I gazed at the light my sister appeared right before my eyes. She was standing in the middle of the light with a breeze blowing her long red hair. She wore a gown type dress of white and was so beautiful it took my breath away. She spoke to me, "Little sister, don't grieve for me, I am so happy in paradise." I tried to wake my husband who is a very light sleeper but he wouldn't budge no matter how much I shook him. Just then, the light started to dim and my beloved sister faded backwards into the light and disappeared. Suddenly my husband woke up and said, "Where is that light coming from?" I calmly said, "Sweet Alice came to see us." He saw the light in the room before it completely faded away, and he felt the glow of warmth. We sat up the rest of the night in awe, so peaceful and thankful that God graced us with her visit. I never grieved for her again, because I know she is truly in heaven. Sally ***************************************************** My mom passed away 24 years ago. We had Lilac bushes in our yard as a kid that my mom loved. Whenever we smell Lilacs we know she is near. My younger sister has been having some trouble with depression. Her fiancé moved out to give her time to get better, which didn't help. My niece (12) is kind of being swept aside and is going through trouble with her mom sick and father figure leaving. Any- way, one particular night we were coming to my house after a long day with keeping my sister out and busy. My daughter, niece and I just walked into my house and it was like walking into a huge Lilac bush. The smell was VERY strong. Mom's sprit was dark and by my table in dining area. As soon as my niece walked in, Mom's sprit whooshed right up to her and "hugged" her. She was scared at first. And Lilac smell stayed with us for about 1/2 hour. After a while, my niece was thrilled to know her grandma was around and looks forward to smelling Lilacs again! a reader ***************************************************** In January of 1985 my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread into her bones. It had taken hold in places that were inoperable and was so extensive that no treatment would even help, and she was only given six weeks to live. She stayed on with us for nearly four more months getting everything in order in spite of the tremendous pain she was in. During her last months her 68th birthday came along and we had gotten her a heart shaped mylar balloon that said 'Love' on it. That balloon stayed in her room until the day she passed on April 16th. Those mylar balloons were a fairly new thing in 1985. We had no idea how long they could last, but last it did. Every time it would start to drop lower from the ceiling we would cut just a little of the ribbon off that was tied to it and it would float right back to the ceiling. Two months after her passing a friend was over and we were telling her about the life my mother had lead and that she did not believe in death. Our friend Kathy was skeptical as she had been raised in a pretty mainstream Christian church. That is when the balloon started walking on the tips of its heart across the ceiling, down the hall and to the bedroom door of the room my mother had passed away in. It then lowered down nearly two feet, went through the door and came to rest right above the bed where she had lain. There were no ceiling fans running nor was the houses air conditioning on. Our friend Kathy was really spooked and left. That mylar balloon lasted and stayed in the room all the way to Christmas. It was great knowing that there is more to life than what we can see. Ted ------------------------------------------------------------ We were raised with our Grandmother (Grama) and after she died (when we were all grown up) she started to leave us gifts. When she was alive, $20.00 was her standard gift for birthdays, weddings, showers, Christmas, etc. The amount hadn't changed as far back as I could remember. We used to tease her that the cost of living had gone up. Anyway, every year, at some landmark holiday, one of us always gets the $20.00. The first few years after she passed, we each got our $20.00 for our birthdays. My sister had gotten an extra $20.00 out of the ATM, I found mine on the sidewalk, etc. It makes me giggle every time, and I still try to tell her that I need more than a $20.00. But, being a stubborn old Sicilian woman, she must still think that $20.00 is just fine. -Sue ***************************************************** Hello Zsuzsana, I have written before, about Tom, who passed away nearly 5 months ago. We had made a pact, that whoever died first would send a sign, somehow, some way. This happened a month after he passed, on the day. Tom was a very strong person and had gone through many trials, 4 kidney transplants and multiple health challenges over his 52 years. He passed away from complications of diverticulitis, with a heart attack the final cause of his death. I had not been with him and hadn't seen him at the hospital that day. Needless to say it was very traumatic, learning he had died without me seeing him or telling him I loved him. I am a grocery checker and was checking at my store, exactly a month after my husband's passing. It was an emotional day, and I was tormenting myself by noticing it was almost the time of his death. (The death certificate stated he died at 11:57 a.m on August 10th, 2004.) I had called my husband Melvin, as a nickname---Messy Melvin to be exact. Somehow he started calling me that too----but he was always the real 'Melvin' in the house. A few minutes before his time of death on the certificate, I started waiting on a couple in their late 60's. I kept looking at my watch as I waited on them, finally finishing their order. As I took their check as payment, I teared up with amazement when I looked at the name on the check. MELVIN Robinson! I couldn't believe it, because that is NOT a common first name. I just started crying and couldn't stop. Mr. Robinson said he would pray for me, not knowing why I was crying, but giving me that small comfort at that time. Weeks later I was able to wait on Mr. and Mrs. Robinson and relay my story to them. They have been a comfort to me, always being kind. Recently they gave me a small, stuffed pink dog, pink being my favorite color, and Mr. Robinson always gives me a hug. I am thankful for my Melvin in heaven --- and my Melvin on earth. God bless us all, Tracey ***************************************************** My husband and I were with another couple and we decided to go to a small city in our state of Wisconsin to a countryish Bed and Breakfast. It was owned by a German couple, who had been in the original farmstead their whole married life. The husband was the youngest of many children, and this couple had never had any children themselves. So they opened a B&B and gift shop. After sitting up and playing cards with our friends and the host couple, and celebrating the New Year coming in, we went to our respective rooms. Ours was of course a bedroom that was once used by members of the original farm family back in early 1900s. After my husband fell asleep, I think I did, too ... but I was awakened by a weird chill and feeling someone was in the room. I looked over at the window on my side of the room and saw an apparition of a young teen boy with longish hair looking down on me and sort of smiling and nodding. I was never afraid, in fact felt a sense of peace and that everything was "okay". I was intrigued and yet never scared or even in wonder about it. The next morning the hosts dressed in German costume and made a whopping, wonderful breakfast and while we were all eating, I calmly asked the hostess who the young "ghostly" boy was who visited me in our room. She asked me to describe him, which I did. After we ate, we were sitting around, and she brought out a box of old photos. We were all looking through them, and when just going through them, I stopped and pointed out a picture to her and said, "This is him." Everyone asked who, except the hostess. She nodded at me and said his name and that he had been the young man she also had seen at one time, when she was a young bride in the house and her new husband had to go to Milwaukee to register for the draft. He came to her and made her feel a sense of calmness when she was all alone in the house at night. It turns out we had been sleeping in the room the young man had died in of "consumption" in the 1920s. She did not seem surprised at all, and the others sitting around the table all were in awe of the fact that I actually DID see this young man's ghost (angel if you will) and that for some reason he had come to make me feel every- thing would be all right. It was something I will never forget. Submitted in all sincerity. S. Laundrie ***************************************************** My husband died on April 15, 2000. About two months later, on Father's Day, my daughter, two year old granddaughter Tiana and I were going to a local restaurant's Father's Day Brunch as was our custom for several years. As we were driving away from my house, waving goodbye to my sons who were waving at us, Tiana said, "Grandpa's back!" My daughter and I looked at each other, and she kept driving. Tiana started crying and said, "Grandpa was waving to me." Tiana and her Grandpa were very close, and she didn't get to say "goodbye" before he died. I'm certain he came back long enough to wave goodbye. She's almost seven now, but still remembers Grandpa waving goodbye on Father's Day. a reader ------------------------------------------------------------ Mom had lung and kidney cancer. Her last week was very hard on all of us. Dad's 2 sisters and all 4 of us kids were there 24 hours a day with her and Dad. Aunts and uncles, cousins and friends all showed up every day. First we all noticed the flock of birds that were hanging around the bush that Mom always sat by when she sat out- side. They were there all the time chirping. Mom loved to feed the birds and watch them. After mom passed away the birds left. Another thing was a cousin's little 3 year old daughter was afraid to go into the house, and when asked why she said because Gillian is walking around in there. That's how she said my mom's name, which was Lillian. Mom had been in bed for 3 days straight at this time. Mom's brother was coming from Florida and we believe she was looking for him. He got there at 7 pm and she passed away at 12:20. Somewhere around that time the little girl was at my own house in another town sleeping, and she sat up and said goodbye. Her dad asked her who she was talking to, and she said Gillian said goodbye to her. Right after that the phone rang to tell my husband and them that she had passed away. He knew as soon as he heard the phone ring. Since then dad would make the bed and then find Mom's side of the covers turned back. He's found little red heart confetti at the end of the bed. At night there is a straight light that shines from her picture to the closet door all night in their bedroom. Without a doubt she is always there with him. We love and miss her a lot, but I know she is never too far away. K.M. ***************************************************** In the fall of 2000 my life began taking many sudden and unforeseen turns. I was in my very first car accident that left me in a coma and hospitalized. Within 4 months my husband was diagnosed with cancer and was gone in a month. That's when small but significant things began to happen. On the night of my husband's burial my parents came over and stayed with me. They were in the living-room and I was in our bedroom sleeping, when suddenly my mother heard my husband's voice and he was calling, "Hon, hon, where are you? I need you." She looked at my father, she later told me, and he said not to wake me. He had heard it too. She immediately said a prayer and she never heard his voice again. A month later I was coming out of the supermarket on Sunday afternoon and I could have sworn I saw him sitting behind the steering wheel of our car. When I returned home all I could smell throughout our home, for the next 4 hours, was his body scent. After that at least three or four times a week as I lay in bed I would see this small white round ball of light bouncing around on the wall. It would only last a few minutes and then be gone. It still happens to this day. On his first birthday without him, ten months after his death, I had my first heart attack. Of all the days I could have had it, I always found it strange that it happened on this day. I was with my family and we were visiting and having a good time. Suddenly, it just happened. About a year and a half ago, as I was laying in bed I had a strange feeling someone was in the room with me. I wasn't afraid though. I was laying on my right side and all of a sudden I felt this gentle rubbing on the back of my neck. It only lasted about twenty seconds and I never moved. I felt such love and peace afterwards. I know that even though I can no longer see my husband as I am used to, he is still close by. There may be some people who read this and scoff, but I believe that as long as you are not afraid of those who have passed over, they will let you know they are still with you if only you are open to having the experience. a reader ***************************************************** On Monday, May 3, 2004 I woke to find my beloved husband of almost five years dead at my side of an accidental over- dose of his prescription medicines. I was devastated. 2 weeks earlier I had had a procedure done and was scheduled for a hysterectomy for the following week. I decided to go ahead with it as I had already scheduled the surgery and my time off from work and since I would need to recuperate for 6 weeks, it would give me more time to grieve. I had my surgery on Tuesday, May 11. That evening as the nurse came in to check my vitals for the umpteenth time, after she left, she shut the door to the hallway about 3/4's of the way shut. I was wide awake, no pain killers (I'm allergic to morphine) and very lonely. Bob had planned on taking care of me during my recuperation as I wouldn't be allowed to lift, bend, or do much of any- thing for a while. All of a sudden, I noticed that it looked as though there was smoke coming in from the hallway. I actually was expecting the smoke alarm to go off it was so thick. Then all of a sudden at the end of my bed was the most beautiful icy blue mist just swirling around. It never took on any shape or form, just swirled randomly. I was so amazed, but not afraid or even comfort- ed, just in awe. I was afraid to call for the nurse think- ing it would go away, but at the same time wanting some confirmation for what I was seeing. It only lasted for a few minutes and then the whole room seemed to clear out like all the smoke had been sucked out. I feel it was my husband coming to reassure me that he was still with me at least in spirit. It has been a very rough year for my teenage daughter and me, but we know he's still around. Thank you for letting me tell my story. Karen ***************************************************** I had an amazing experience with my son when he was 2 1/2 years old. 7 years before he was born, my father-in-law, whom I truly loved, passed away from suicide. He had end stage lung and throat cancer and only had a couple of weeks left. He had the most unusual smile I have ever seen. It was kind of a crooked smile. When my son was born, as soon as he could smile, he had the same smile his grandfather had had. We suspected he had come back as my son. One day, when my son was 2 1/2, he said, "Mom, I played baseball before I was an angel." My father-in-law had played minor league baseball in his younger days. Today, my son is almost 12 and can throw a baseball like you wouldn't believe. I'm sure that we can come back after we die and choose who we want to be with. a follow-up... I recently sent in a story about how my son Casey had always been thought to be a reincarnation of my ex- husband's father, John. Well, there is more to the story as of yesterday. My son, who is not 12, is spending the summer in Wisconsin with his father, David. His dad took him to the cemetery to see John's grave. David had told Casey that he had always thought that he was a reincarnation from his dad. Casey turned to him, looked him in the eye and said, "David, I am your father". Casey has no memory of this. He would have never have referred to his father as David on his own. He has always called him Dad. We had always known this was true. Bonni ***************************************************** When my Dad passed away in January, 1983, my mom, my husband and I were sitting downstairs the night of the funeral services. As clear as can be we all heard a thumping sound from upstairs like my Dad would do with his cane when he needed my mom for something. And we heard him calling, "Mae, Mae, come here I need you". My mom very calmly said, "Not now, I'm not ready yet." She passed away in April of 1995. My husband passed away four months after my mom; and both his mom and I saw him and felt him sitting on the side of the bed. I don't know what he told her as we never really discussed it for I felt it was private, but he told me everything would be okay with me. At times, even now I feel his presence and catch a smell of a burning cigarette and know he is still around. Carol ***************************************************** My best friend lost her husband about 10 years ago. I was nearly as upset as she was. They were the perfect couple (Bob and Mary) and we had been friends for several years. We did almost everything together. I was there for her as much as I could be. The night before he passed away he was in a coma. He had sudden onslaught leukemia. That night while we were in the hospital waiting, his son in law was home with the newborn baby. He had gone into the kitchen to warm a bottle for the baby. When he walked back into the room he saw Bob sitting next to the baby and he was saying goodbye. Bob died the following morning with- out regaining consciousness. About a couple of weeks later while Mary was sleeping as well as his son, Greg, she felt someone pull up her sheet/blanket over her shoulder even though she hates to have her shoulders covered. She opened her eyes and saw her door close, yet there was no one there. She got up and went out to the hall and met her son, Greg, coming out of his room. He asked and she asked if the other had been in their room. Someone had been in his room, too. They assumed it was Bob checking on them. Another night a few weeks later, they heard footsteps going down the stairs to the front door. Then the door closed. When they got there the door was locked. They opened it and there was nothing there. Bob has made several appearances since then, mostly when there was something going on he wouldn't have liked. Although the family is not afraid, others have been. He has chased away some bad friends and they never returned. It seems when he is satisfied all is well, he just closes the door quietly. I think Bob and Mary had a true love that will never die. Sharon ***************************************************** Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. ~Rossiter Worthington Raymond Until next week, carpe diem! Zsuzsana Note: Thanks to everyone who has written to me inquiring about my services. For information about readings, more ghosts and spirits, and general info, please visit my personal website at: www.arcanamatrix.com ------------------------------------------------------------ End of PARANORMAL INSIDER - Another Gopher Central Publication http://www.gophercentral.com Copyright 2007 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.