Shirley's Appearance

My good friends, in my effort to give credence to our souls being forever and in many cases able to respond to our calls,  I am attempting to recall all the details of my wife Shirley’s first actual and dramatic contact with me.  She died on November, 13, 2020, as I mentioned in my previous post.  Now seven months later, June 24, 2021 I heard from her and she made it known to me who she was thanking for that opportunity.

In the confines of my little residence, which is an addition to my daughter’s main home, I lay down late afternoon at 4 pm hoping to catch a short nap prior to supper.  Seems past a certain age that is is almost necessary. Well, I awoke suddenly at 5:30 pm, this no longer being a short nap, and realized I had to get dressed to have supper with my daughter and her husband. 

As I began to throw my legs over the edge of the bed, I heard a loud BAM, followed by the tinkling of bells. So hard to describe. My bed is about 30 inches from a big green dresser 5 feet tall. It sounded as loud as a thunderclap that I am sure many of you have witnessed. A storm goes by and we think it is over and then suddenly a very loud thunderclap, is heard appearing like it was above your home. 

Well that is what I heard and the only difference was that I heard and felt it like it was just inches from my bed and my head and I could almost point to the exact spot where the sound originated. It was unreal.

Immediately, I turned to the opposite side of my bed where Shirley’s dresser was on the opposite wall.  Right above it was a large beautifully framed mirror.  I thought right away when I heard the sound and saw nothing by me that could be responsible for that noise, that maybe the large mirror had come crashing down.  No, it was still on the wall.  Then I glanced into our bathroom that has an open entry to it, thinking that maybe some parts of the ceiling had collapsed.  This is a 7 year old home, so that would be highly unlikely, but nevertheless I checked anyways. I might mention that I have always done all of the maintenance on our homes within my abilities. So that is why I was in a flash checking everything and now really wondering about that BAM. 

Ok, I started to turn my head back to the sound that virtually had frightened me.  And this is where my recounting these moments becomes something else. 

As I turned towards my green dresser, it was was all lit up in a bright light. Just the dresser.  Standing in front of it right next to my bedside, was a small figure, person, with hands clasped together as if in prayer, and head bent down so I could not see her face.  There was no doubt this was a she. Almost from the moment I saw this figure and within 2 or 3 seconds, she started to turn around to go to her left. But during those seconds, I saw that the figure had the same styled honey blonde hairdo that a certain woman I had lived with for 61 years, had always maintained. Always. 

She wore a form fitting pantsuit with a white belt. The pantsuit was emerald green with small white flower clusters scattered throughout the green suit. Again these were the favorite flowers of this same woman I just mentioned. As if this was not enough, one other detail really caught my eye. 

This woman was standing with her left foot slightly forward and to her left. Well, my wife had never had the full use of her left eye since birth. The pupil of the eye had remained frozen in place since birth, not allowing it to expand or shrink according to the light in front of her, Iike sunlight. So her body had since the time of her being able to walk, always compensated  to help keep her balance by moving her foot out to the left and forward some. 

Well would you guess that this little woman had that. And to better it yet, Shirley was 5 ft 2 in, my dresser 5 foot, and as she was bending her head down into her hands, she stood just below the top of my dresser at 5 ft.

Insofar as her eye, I had not known that situation until we were married and I noticed the different size of the iris in bright light. She told that all she could see was  light and at times shadows. I never broached that matter with her in all our lives together afterwards. 

Ok she now turns to her left and takes at the most  three small steps forward and is standing right next to a pink, low-set stuffed chair that accommodated her short height. I could never use it. The chair was about five feet from where she appeared and in a corner of the room.  Then she bowed down deeply. Immediately she turned back towards me and made a couple of steps before vanishing. 

I might explain that Shirley was a true believer.  As a strange lead up to this, I had a couple of months earlier, printed out three 8 x 11 pictures of Mary and placed two elsewhere in my domain. I had no more room for the third. Somehow I laid it on that pink  chair seat and then soon after just propped it up on the back of the chair so I could see it.  It is still there today, untouched. 

Firstly, Shirley was showing me that she was OK and in good hands. 

At least that was my interpretation of this fabulous little woman’s efforts to show me that our souls live on forever. It is almost like one can read a partner’s mind after 60 plus years and vice-versa.  

Well, that is one of my experiences with her that shook me to the core, forever. Shirley was a gentle woman, always with a smile to greet anyone, and ready to accept anyone in good faith. Knowing her you would recognize her actions. 

Finally my friends, you either have to believe my story or not. I can only tell you my particular special experience of a lifetime. It is your choice.  Souls live forever.