Cheryl's Blog

Week 51 – When Facebook delivers an afterlife message.

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Cheryl

 

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When Facebook delivers an afterlife message.

Michael was lying on the bed staring at his phone with a puzzled look on his face.

“Cheryl, check this out,” he said.

I walked out of the bathroom, towel drying my hair, and went to stand by his side.

What is it, I asked, as I looked down at the screen?

“You know how Facebook sends a ‘here’s what was happening back then’ message sometimes? Well, look at the reminder I just got.”

I looked down to see a message from Michael’s cousin-in-law asking him to visit Marina, his daughter. At the time, Marina was living at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, trying to recover from an aggressive form of Leukemia. We affectionately referred to her as our niece.

The date was December 2012.

Unfortunately, the treatments didn’t work and Marina passed away in March of 2013.

I looked up at Michael as tears welled up in his eyes.

The pain never goes away does it, I said as I leaned down and kissed his forehead. I’m so sorry, honey. I miss Marina, too.

Marina was that rare kind of angel who came into Michael’s life and took him on a heart-opening adventure through the dying process. In the weeks before she passed, they spent several hours talking about life and what happens when we die.

As part of their goodbye process, Michael and Marina agreed that if her spirit did live on after her passing, she would send him a message letting him know.

They chose a very specific sign together.

She fulfilled her promise in the most miraculous way and while it’s not my place to share his story (he’s finishing a book about the experience), I can say that her communication from the other side left no doubt in my mind that our loved ones never really leave us.

Of course the trick is in remembering this when grief comes to visit. Like during the holidays – an especially difficult time when you’ve lost someone you love.

I’ve come to believe that death is a continuation of life in a different form. And when these types of messages show up, I like to think of them as invitations to remember this truth.

Like any relationship, our connection with each other needs energy in order to continue. That’s why I do my best to keep the spirit of my loved ones alive with little rituals. Sometimes I light candles when I think of them. I might make a toast at holiday dinners. And I usually talk with them while out walking in nature because it’s a common place for me to receive signs and feel the connection.

Given the fact that Marina was only twenty-four years old when she left us, it’s no surprise to me that she would use Facebook to stay in touch with Michael smiley2#x1F600;.

To me, it makes perfect sense…

And who knows? Today, your loved one may be using this blog.

While the body may be gone, let’s do our best to keep the connection alive with those we love.

Be on the lookout for your own invitation… .

This Week’s Video

This week’s video has a beautiful, spiritual feel. You can watch it here.  Thanks, Anastacia!

PS – If you’re struggling with the loss of a loved one this holiday season, check out the front page interview with Bob Olson on AfterLifeTV.com.  It’s a deeply meaningful conversation about his fifteen year investigation into life after death.