So I'm not normally one of those woo-woo people who talks about ghosts or anything, and this post is not a joke with the Halloween season upon us. I've had a couple strangely comforting experiences in the past couple days, and another that has spanned the past couple months. I wanted to share them with you, just because, well...just because.
The first involves my nephew Alex, who passed away suddenly in November 1994 from a virulent strain of menningitis. He was just 5 1/2 years old. I can't believe it'll be 14 years that he's been gone. He was a funny little guy, with some funny little quirks (for example, he liked to collect those little hangers that socks come on, and he liked to save the feeder strips that used to feed paper through computer printers...remember those?). He was a very sensitive little guy. I think about Alex almost every day, and some days when Thomas says something wildly entertaining I think of how much he would have loved his uncle. I think Thomas and Alex would have gotten along famously, since Thomas is WAY quirky and has funny little rituals, too.
When Alex died, we released a huge bouquet of red balloons after his funeral. It was kind of a gray day, from what I remember, and the sight of those red balloons sailing against a cloudy sky still sticks in my memory. Every year on his birthday, Trish and her girls release balloons into the sky as a way to remember him. In the past year I've had a few "red balloon" experiences...sometimes I've been thinking of Alex...sometimes they've happened just when I've been having a rough time and need a gentle reminder that things will change for the better. One day I was really missing Alex, Thomas was throwing a tantrum in the car, and I just said to myself, "gosh...how will I get through this day?" I just happened to look up, and there, floating just over my house as I pulled into the driveway, was a red balloon, dancing in the wind and sailing up toward the mountain.
Weird. But the day did seem to get better and we all got through it.
A few weeks later, I was having a similar day (I seem to be having these days a lot with the studio getting busier and trying to juggle multiple responsibilities). On this particular day, I was talking to Alex and telling him I missed him. A little while later I went to take the trash out and there, sitting smack dab in the middle of the yard (in a breeze, though it didn't move at all), was a red balloon.
Weirder still. But I did get through that day as well.
The following day, I'd had a very trying morning. I won't go into details, but let's just say I was just about to throw in the towel, sell all my equipment, and move to a secluded island...ALONE. I walked into the yard to get a little break and looked at my fence. There was a strip of red there...wasn't there earlier in the day. So I walked over to it...it was a broken balloon. Huh, I thought....how apprpopriate is THIS?! Then I picked it up, turned it over, and there was a face drawn on the balloon...a funny face with a tongue sticking out, as if to give a red-balloon raspberry ***pfffbbbtttffftt***. HA!
The first involves my nephew Alex, who passed away suddenly in November 1994 from a virulent strain of menningitis. He was just 5 1/2 years old. I can't believe it'll be 14 years that he's been gone. He was a funny little guy, with some funny little quirks (for example, he liked to collect those little hangers that socks come on, and he liked to save the feeder strips that used to feed paper through computer printers...remember those?). He was a very sensitive little guy. I think about Alex almost every day, and some days when Thomas says something wildly entertaining I think of how much he would have loved his uncle. I think Thomas and Alex would have gotten along famously, since Thomas is WAY quirky and has funny little rituals, too.
When Alex died, we released a huge bouquet of red balloons after his funeral. It was kind of a gray day, from what I remember, and the sight of those red balloons sailing against a cloudy sky still sticks in my memory. Every year on his birthday, Trish and her girls release balloons into the sky as a way to remember him. In the past year I've had a few "red balloon" experiences...sometimes I've been thinking of Alex...sometimes they've happened just when I've been having a rough time and need a gentle reminder that things will change for the better. One day I was really missing Alex, Thomas was throwing a tantrum in the car, and I just said to myself, "gosh...how will I get through this day?" I just happened to look up, and there, floating just over my house as I pulled into the driveway, was a red balloon, dancing in the wind and sailing up toward the mountain.
Weird. But the day did seem to get better and we all got through it.
A few weeks later, I was having a similar day (I seem to be having these days a lot with the studio getting busier and trying to juggle multiple responsibilities). On this particular day, I was talking to Alex and telling him I missed him. A little while later I went to take the trash out and there, sitting smack dab in the middle of the yard (in a breeze, though it didn't move at all), was a red balloon.
Weirder still. But I did get through that day as well.
The following day, I'd had a very trying morning. I won't go into details, but let's just say I was just about to throw in the towel, sell all my equipment, and move to a secluded island...ALONE. I walked into the yard to get a little break and looked at my fence. There was a strip of red there...wasn't there earlier in the day. So I walked over to it...it was a broken balloon. Huh, I thought....how apprpopriate is THIS?! Then I picked it up, turned it over, and there was a face drawn on the balloon...a funny face with a tongue sticking out, as if to give a red-balloon raspberry ***pfffbbbtttffftt***. HA!
This morning I was going through our workroom (aptly named...there's so much junk in there that even walking into the room is considered work). I was looking for some bolts that go to Thomas's crib, as we're loaning it to a friend whose baby is due in another month. I found an old answering machine that I haven't gotten around to throwing away. So I plugged it in. BEEP. You have no new messages. BEEP. You have two saved messages. The first was from Dorothy Ogg...our old neighbor who passed away a couple years ago. She was thanking us for our Christmas card and said she was always tickled to hear from us. The next message was (sigh) from Barry. Calling on Christmas Eve 2006 to wish Madelyn a Merry Christmas Eve. He said he'd try to call the next day to wish us a Merry Christmas Day (which he did).
Ghosts? Communications from the other side? Coincidences? ( you can say so but I don't think so). I'm strangely comforted to be looked over, and after.
Off to do a family photo shoot. Probably the last day we'll have fantastic leaves and sun. I'll be shooting performance photos of the Jesus Christ Superstar show the next few nights at MCT. Look for the post on my blog.
Have a good Sunday! Know that even as we remember, we are likely similarly remembered. Peace to all.
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2 comments:
Hello Maureen,
Let me begin by telling you how much I enjoy your blogs. I feel that this last blog may invite several comments. Let me share mine in reguards to my friend Chelsea. Chelsea lost her brother Christopher in high school.During our time as roomates, I would always catch her picking up pennies around the house. I never thought twice about it, until pennies literally started falling out of the sky in front of me. I mentioned it to her one day, and asked her the significance of the pennies. Her story, I do not remember. What I do remember is the connection the parrallel stories instantly made. I am still not sure why Christopher chooses to plant pennies around me(I still find penies in paculiar places), I never had the honor of meeting him. Chelsea and I guess till this day. I do know what an incredible friendship and bond we both share, and i believe that our friendship was ment to be, I guess Chris does to. We are given signs of encouragement and belief all the time, maybe we were just lucky enough to capture their magic at the right moment. I love you, and think of you all the time. Take care, and keep blogging. Peace Julie
I loved your stories. So comforting. I really loved the picture of the balloon.
And how sweet to hear Barry's voice once again. Just beautiful.
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