Breadcrumb #602
KATHY SULLIVAN EVANS
As I walked along the path, I began to breathe in the early morning mist that still hung in the air and my lungs felt a slight sting from its crispness. With the icy coldness of the pavement, I realized I didn’t have any shoes on my feet and I was only clad in my soft pink eyelet lace night gown. The sun began its magical ascension and filled the garden with the most luminous light, slowing filling each space with its presence and overtaking the darkness of the night. The flowers were in full bloom and a kaleidoscope of butterflies were enjoying the sweet nectar of the morning dew. Butterflies, to some, symbolize great transformation and personal growth. At that moment, I felt a bit anxious and my heart was filled with the anticipation of a young girl waiting for Christmas morning.
Feeling a bit breathless, I sat down on a nearby bench to rest my legs and catch my breath. As I sat, I wondered where I was and how I had found myself sitting on this particular bench in such a beautiful and magical place. I then closed my eyes as I pondered what had brought me to this moment and this place, in somewhat of a meditative state.
“His eyes still sparkled and that Elvis-like shock of dark hair that hung over his right eyebrow framed his eyes perfectly, drawing you into those deep pools of blue. ”
As my eyes were shut, I realized someone had sat down beside me and a momentary fear washed over me. I slowly opened my eyes and looked to my left. To my surprise, there sitting beside me, younger and much more handsome than I remembered, was my Dad. My Dad had passed on from Lung Cancer almost 40 years ago but it still seemed like only yesterday we had to say goodbye to our family Patriarch and our rock. My eyes began to slowly fill with tears. For a quick second, I quickly breathed in his presence and was amazed at how young he looked. His eyes still sparkled and that Elvis-like shock of dark hair that hung over his right eyebrow framed his eyes perfectly, drawing you into those deep pools of blue. Oh, and his smile, ever so radiant, filled me with warmth and a deep fatherly love, which now encircled me like a big hug. It had been such a long time since I’d seen him but the years just didn’t seem to matter. He was here now. So many things have happened since he’d been taken from us. I began to share with him some of my own experiences, especially how his grandchildren had grown and prospered and that he now had several great grandchildren as well. I spoke of many heartaches, as well as the joy of finding a new love that filled my heart and life with purpose. There had been the gut-wrenching sorrow of losing Mom and my sisters that devastated me, leaving a void that couldn’t ever be filled. So much suffering and loss had weighed heavily on my heart and is woefully evident in the lines of my face. I also shared with him all the joys experienced through his grandchildren and how they could lift my spirits to a level that I never knew was possible. So many things came to mind of all the experiences that have come and gone since he’d been taken so young. Somehow though none of that mattered … he was here now and I cherished the time with him as a wonderful gift from Spirit. All the while, he sat smiling and his face emanated his pride and love. Through his thoughts he relayed to me that he WAS there during all those moments of my life – standing just beyond the veil that separates us from our loved ones that have passed on. My mind was a blur with all the pent up sorrow mixed with an unfathomable joy at being with him once again.
Oh, how I’ve missed you Dad and as our souls embraced, I felt such peace and his loving light surrounded me like a warm blanket. I didn’t want to leave … I wanted to stay in that moment with him, but someone else had suddenly approached me and began to guide me away from him. As I kept looking back at him, still sitting on the bench and smiling, I conveyed to him my deep abiding love and extreme gratefulness for our brief time together. As I watched him, the luminous light began to thicken and his image slowly faded. Thank you Spirit for the gift of a brief visit with my Dad and I know he’s smiling and waiting there, just beyond the veil, for my own homecoming.