Some people have the gift to connect with the spirit world. Not only can they sense, but sometimes even see or hear other beings. While I have not had that experience, I have definitely felt–strongly–another presence. While going through my mom’s possessions I might get a strong feeling of her presence. Or while hiking a trail, I may feel my Dad right there with me. Many times on certain roads, I am overwhelmed with the feeling that my angel son is with me. Sitting right next to me! The feeling jolts me alive. “Hey, Lucas,” I say. “Good to see you.”
Another way to connect with a loved one is through a spirit animal. After Lucas died, I kept having sightings of raptors. They seemed to accompany me. A random sighting of an osprey or hawk is one thing. But these majestic birds seemed to seek me out, and follow me! Last fall, while driving to his crash site, I was pondering his death. At that moment a bald eagle– something I have rarely seen–flew from east to west, right in front of my car! It flew low enough for me to clearly identify it as an eagle. I was awe-struck.
A few days ago, just before Christmas, I took two of my grandsons to a park. We were leaning on a split-rail fence, looking at sheep. Suddenly my grandson said, “Look, a hawk!” There it was, just several yards away, resting–like us –on the fence. As we watched, it took flight. We felt blessed by its presence.
What a gift when one of my dear friends, Melissa–my midwife whose beautiful gentle hands lifted him to this world–told me of a Lucas visitation. Always very attuned to the spirit world, she is now honing that innate skill, to become a licensed medium.
She told me of a conversation she had last week with another evidence-based medium, who in the course of their session picked up the presence of a 20-something young man with brown hair. Melissa’s thoughts went to Lucas. And the next statements confirmed that it was him. According to the medium, the man expressed excitement about the Christmas season. “He feels lifted in this time of the year, this season.” She went on to say that he had a lovely smile. “He didn’t always smile, but when he did, he brightened the world.” The last part clinched it both for Melissa and me. He ended by saying “Enjoy this season for me.”
Oh, how much that means to me! And yes, I truly did enjoy Christmas. With my surviving son, his soulmate and their beautiful boys. Immersed in the moment. Joy and connection. It’s funny, almost every year I dig up an ‘artifact’ of Lucas’ and gift it to his brother. This year it was a long-sleeved T shirt (pre-stained!). With a hawk on it.