What are most people searching for after the death of someone close? A sign, any sign to let them know that their newly departed loved ones are a peace and they will see each other again. Our loved ones do send us a sign to confirm that they made it home safely. Many times we do not recognize the signs. As a result, many people discount the signs they receive as their imagination or an odd coincidence. Some are afraid to mention the occurrence or sign to anyone for fear of being ridiculed by family or friends. 

This chapter will include a detailed description of the signs and explanation of different communication from our loved ones in spirit. They are usually checking in with you on special days like holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings and the birth of a child. Your loved ones on the other side want to assure you that they are alive and well. 

They may send us a message or a sign in one of the following ways. 

We are the only culture that doesn’t value our dreams. We’re told that dreams are a way for our brains to process and organize information and experiences that we’ve had throughout the day. Dreams are so much more powerful than that…. They are sources of great inspiration, guidance, and extremely healing as we saw with Pauline and her grandson, Ryan in chapter five. New research suggests sleeping on your right side produces more positive dreams and nightmares seem to occur more frequently to left sided sleepers. Always sleep on your back or right side when asking for a dream from your loved ones.

Our loved ones may come to us in dreams in which we physically see them. They may give us a verbal message, “I’m okay,” or “Look, I can walk again.” Some many not say anything verbally; you just feel thei immense love and peacefulness. They look healthy and well and may appear with a golden glow, the worry and stress is gone from their face. You may dream you are dancing with them and feel their arms around you; or they may gently kiss your check or hold your hand. Their touch is warm and loving. 

When our loved ones come to us in our dreams they will look similar to their age at passing, but their Spirit is full of energy and enthusiasm! As time passes, they may appear in your dreams doing something they loved to do here on earth. They may be playing tennis, golf, or playing cards with friends and look as they looked in their prime, about 35 years old. Many times they will give you a message but then hurry on to rejoin their friends. They are just checking in to let you know they are OK.

My mother appeared to my daughter Bethany and myself minutes after she passed over on December 19, 2002.

It all started with me in the early morning just before sunrise. I awoke to find myself standing beside my bed with my arms out stretched. I knew I had been with someone but could not remember who or why I was standing beside my bed and not in it! I looked at the clock on the night table and noticed it read 6:19 a.m. It was very strange, I did not know what to make of it, I assumed I had been having a dream but I was shocked to be asleep standing up. Since it was still dark outside, I climbed back into bed and fell fast asleep until I awoke to the phone ringing. In the darkness as I fumbled for the phone, I knew in my heart it could not be good news. No one calls me at this hour.

“Hello,” my sleepy nervous voice answered.

“May I speak with Mary,” the voice on the other end requested.

           “Yes, this is Mary,” I said.

           “Good morning, this is South County Nursing Home,” the voice on the other end quivered. “I am so sorry to tell you but your mother has just passed. When I went in to check on her this morning, I noticed she was have trouble breathing.

  I lifted her up to adjust her pillows; to make her more comfortable. She looked at me with her beautiful blue eyes and took her last breath in my arms. There was no warning or we would have called you to come.” 

  Oh, my God, I was totally not prepared to hear these words yet my first thoughts went to gratitude that she was not alone when she died.

“Thank you, I am so grateful you were with her.” 

“My pleasure, I felt blessed to have been holding her as she passed. She went very peacefully. Your mother was so sweet; we will miss her.”

I immediately started to cry tears of sadness and gratitude that my mother had passed but she was not alone. I thanked the nurse for being with my mother and said that I wanted to come and see my mother and her.

I then thought to ask her one quick question. “May I ask? What time did my mother pass?”

“Oh, it was about 6:15 a.m. because I start my rounds at 6:00 a.m.”

I had chills when I realized what had happened just a few minutes before when I had been standing by my bed with my arms out stretched not knowing why but I looked down and noticed the clock read 6:19 a.m.

“Oh my God,” Chills ran through my body as I knew it was my mother, she had come and visited me right after she passed. I had got out of bed to give her a final hug goodbye. I could not be with her physically but she came to my house right after she passed.”

“I will dress and be there at the nursing home immediately,” I told the nurse.

I was in shock with the news but I knew I had to go and be with her one last time and thank this wonderful nurse for being with my mother when she passed. I felt such gratitude that my mother was not alone, but was held in someone’s arms. 

Just as I hung up the phone my daughter Bethany walked into the room and said, “Mom, that phone call was about Nana, wasn’t it? She is gone.”

“Yes, honey, I’m sorry, Nana passed at 6:15 a.m. That was the nursing home one the phone.”

“I knew it,” she said. “I had a dream that I was dancing with her and she was smiling and so happy. She called me by my name! I was so surprised, I said, ‘Nana, you remember me!”

Oh, Bethany, I have always remembered you,” her grandmother replied.

Bethany had tears rolling down her face and started to cry. “Mom, I knew then she must have passed and I was dancing with her spirit. She felt so light, upbeat and happy again like I remember her when she was well.”

“I know she is happy to be able to dance again and I’m so happy she came to me.”

I told her what had happened to me early this morning, “Bethany, I found myself asleep standing by my bed with arms outstretched and awakening to see the digital clock read 6:19 a.m. The nurse just told me Nana died about 6:15 a.m. She visited the house to say good bye to us.”

  This dream was especially profound for my daughter because my mother had Alzheimer’s disease for 11 years. She did not appear to recognize her grandchildren as they got older; this was very hard for them when they visited her in the nursing home. For her grandmother to tell Bethany in this dream that she had always known who Bethany was and that she remembered her, was a gift my daughter will never forget.