Beautiful story posted In
Proof of life after death by
Jennifer Mitchell
It was 1984 in Tampa. I worked as a receptionist and lived penny to penny. My mother and stepfather lived in a magnificent home on the bay. While they dined at the Tampa Yacht Club, I ate saltine crackers in my apartment. This was my choice. I chose sanity over the controlling actions of a narcissistic stepfather. I was neither then, nor now, for show, rent or sale, no matter how hungry.
Struggling on my own at twenty years old, things hit me all at once: car trouble, boss trouble, financial trouble, my electricity shut off, I couldn’t afford a telephone. I told no one, but eventually I boiled over inside. I broke.
Defeated, I crawled into my twin bed pushed up against the wall in my room. Somehow sleeping in a corner made me feel safer.
I began my silent prayers as I did every night but then became enraged, fed-up, frustrated. And I told God off. I told Him that He wasn’t real, that He didn’t listen, that He didn’t care, that it was all crap. No more would I waste my time doing things the right way. I would do it the way of the world – cheap, shallow, selfish. And no.more.God. Period.
In my sleep, I dreamed something took me by the scruff of my neck and lifted me from my bed..through the ceiling..above my apartment..through the noise and clouds..above the earth until..now I was standing. All around me blue, no…a deep violet, wait…indigo. No, there is no color I have ever seen on earth to relate this to. Off, at what seemed to be about twenty-five feet away, stood my father, my grandmother, my friend Rosemary Kidd from college who had passed from a car crash.
They stood in a group chatting and smiling. They noted my arrival with a glance and a wave. It was no big deal to them to see me. It felt like they were accustomed to seeing me. But not me. I wanted to run to them! It was real! It was true! Feelings of completeness and utter joy flooded my entire body until I thought I might burst! The answers to everything filled my head. My life before felt quick like a wink and tiny compared to this completeness. I had run the race, made it home and was..safe, loved. I thought of family/friends left behind but I didn’t care. No sadness as I knew they would join at their time. I was light, full, satisfied, peaceful.
I tried to take a step towards the group of my loved ones. My feet wouldn’t budge.
From the right, a figure in a hooded silver-grey robe approached me silently. I could see no face. No sound but only thoughts conveyed.
“You were brought to see. Now you must go back.”
Still me, sassy I replied, “Nope, I’m staying!”
I felt myself being moved backwards.
“I want to stay! Please!” I was pleading.
But the conversation was over.
Back through the clear darkness looking down at earth, through the clouds, and now sitting upright in my little bed.
I was angry! I was happy! I was laughing! I was crying!
I threw myself onto the floor, face down, and begged forgiveness from God. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.
Not one time since that night have I wondered the actions of God. All the good, all the bad, I will endure without question, for there is more when it is done. More than ever imagined.