Signs of the Afterlife

 

 I was picking up my dads ashes. It was a quiet weekday afternoon. I pulled into the big empty parking lot and headed for the front row. Knots in my stomach, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. I looked up and from across the large parking lot and the street beyond that, I saw something heading straight for me. It was just a speck but it immediately caught me attention. It kept getting closer, I was waiting for it to change course, buuut, it didn't look like that was going to happen. I could see it a little better now and I suspected I was watching a dragonfly. I wondered if I should get back into the car, I debated for a moment but hesitated. It was just all happening so fast and it was now very clear that it was coming for me. I froze. When it reached just a couple feet in front of me, it shot up and circled around me a couple times before landing on my car's wheel. I looked down and there was the biggest blue dragon fly. We spent a few minutes looking at each other. Of course, I took pictures too. If you don't see them yet, I'm still looking for them. I wondered why he wasn't flying away. Smiling from the strange encounter, I went inside to get his ashes and when I returned outside, he was gone.

Awhile later I read that the recently deceased often come to us as a dragonfly. It's said that it's a positive message to let us know that they're okay. What a lovely thing to read. Grieving is such a lonely time even when surrounded by loved ones.

A second visit...

Now don't go thinking that every time I see a dragonfly, I think it's my dad. I see them buzzing around all summer long, here and there. It's only when something out of the ordinary happens and it's at a significant time. Then it causes me to pause and wonder. 

So, on with my story.

The following spring we sat down for a big dinner of my dad's favorite foods to celebrate his birthday. We have a tall metal angel in the back yard, outside of our dining room window. It was a handmade gift we received to be in memory of my dad. Well, just as we sat down, a dragonfly flew up and landed on the angel! He remained there during our entire meal and didn't leave until we were finished. I have never seen one land for that long before and haven't again since.

More recently while scrolling through Facebook, this image kept popping up and again, at peculiar times. I don't remember ever seeing an image as many times as this one. Now, whenever I think of that day at the funeral home, I picture this grinning dragonfly cruising across the parking lot as fast as he could to come say hello. To show me that my father is okay and he's still with me in spirit. He's reassuring me that he's waiting for me and I'm loved and there is so much more than just this earthly experience. 

Please share your stories of afterlife visits, whether it's dragonflies, butterflies, birds or maybe something else...