After a Day of Rain

Anyone notice how particularly brilliant the world seems after a torrent, cleansing rain? Rain in nature, as with turbulent experience or quiet tears in life, initiates a deeper understanding of the brilliance of sunlight, of the gift of joy in light. Today the sky is a brighter blue, the sun a keener shade of yellow and the trees dressed in vibrant green sway with a fresh knowing. What rains have you embraced that have empowered you to live anew?

YES! Moments in the Sauna

The steam rises and friendly conversation ensues. Who knows where casual moments like these will lead? In a matter of moments the discussion shifts from weather, to travel, to lessons learned. And then...The penny drops; a discovery made. We both recognize this is a kindred soul and there is something 'destined' happening here. Suddenly Kyla shares "You know these past few months have been agonizing. My daughter died in April and ever since I have had this hole in my chest." Her hand makes a large circle on the spot over her heart. I feel a tug at my own. She shares the details of surreal shock, the denial, the pain, the transition to hope and daily conversation with her spirit to simply hold on. "I know it sounds crazy, superstitious or something, but ... she loved butterflies and on the day of her funeral a huge white butterfly soared into the room where family and friends were gathered. It flew around my head, my daughter's head and she said to me, "There mom, look, Tina is here with us."

I felt a calm flow through me and the light bulb glowed.

"Kyla, I think I know why we met today. My mom loved dragonflies and shortly before her funeral my sister and I shared a moment on a Muskoka dock. A dragonfly joined us. It flew around my head and hovered between us, then around my sister's head and hovered again. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" we said to one another. We had little doubt she was gently reminding us she could still hear every word.

"Kyla, perhaps we met today to confirm, skepticism aside, that our loved ones are with us always...in so many amazing forms." Kyla glowed. As strangers-come-friends we parted with a warm embrace of kindred knowing.

We all need hope and a gentle opening of heart and mind in the possibility that those we love are never lost, that we still communicate if but in new and glorious ways. This was the YES! of Thursday last. And since that moment, and sharing the story with my husband Todd, we have seen 'Tina' (in her beautiful white butterfly form) 13 times over the course of our weekend. WOW and... YES!

Any 'coincidences' you care to share?