JOHN’S
STORY
I
was recently contacted by a gentle man named John living in the town of Chorley,
Lancashire who asked me to visit him at his home, this is his story in his
words.
My
story is of a minor miracle which happened to me in 1966, and how that miracle
shaped my life from then on.In September of that year, I met my one and only
love, Patricia.I had heard of “love
at first sight”, but never thought it real.That September evening, in a Bolton
ballroom, I looked across a room and laid eyes upon a very beautiful woman. At
the instant I saw her it was as if a bolt of lightning had shot across the room
between us, from me to her.From that very second I was deeply in love with
Patricia, a love that has lasted for forty years, and still continues.
After
introducing myself, a minor miracle in itself, we began to see each other
regularly and within two years we were married.
Our
first home was in a small village on the outskirts of Chorley. A small house
which Patricia transformed into a home.After a few years enjoying our early
married life together, we brought two lovely sons into the world, after which
Patricia devoted her life to them and the family home, giving up work to watch
over their childhood.
As
all couples do, we had ups and we had downs, but whatever they were, we remained
steadfast to each other and our family. Patricia and I proudly watched our sons
mature, and when they left to start lives of their own, Patricia watched their
progress with pride and love.
Shortly
thereafter, Patricia obtained a position with the Local Authority, working with
children, and for some years was happy to see her “other children” grow up
before her eyes, being happy in what she did, and giving
love and support to young children in
a structured environment.Then, out of the blue, disaster struck. My
beautiful lady with the most striking blue eyes changed. Her eyes lost that
sparkle as the illness took hold.
Bravely
she fought her way back to health, and all was right in the world once more.
Following
the illness, we began to enjoy ourselves more, and Patricia planned holidays and
outings, always having the knack to be able to find somewhere new and beautiful,
in different parts of the country. We visited the countryside a great deal, as
Patricia had always loved
the outdoors and nature.We planned for our retirement, which was
approaching, looking forward to being together more as our working lives came to
an end.Then, suddenly, the illness raised its head again, and once again struck
down my Patricia. However, with my support, Patricia fought it once more, and
finally it seemed that everything was going to be alright once more, as Patricia
made arrangements to return to the work which she loved. She busied herself
buying new outfits to wear, and had planned to have her hair done just prior to
her starting work.
On
the day she was to visit the hairdressers I kissed her goodbye and left for work
as usual.
At
about 11-00 o`clock, two policemen came to our reception. They had terrible
news, My beautiful Patricia was dead.She had been crossing a railway line on the
way to the hairdressers, when she was hit by a train.The day was rainy and
overcast with low cloud. I was told that it seemed she had not heard or seen the
train until it was too late.
I
was completely numb and unable to function, and without the strong support of
our sons, I do not believe I could have coped at all.My sons took me away
from Chorley to be with them over the Christmas holidays. They fended off all
phone calls, made all arrangements and dealt with the most impossible thing that
our family had ever had to deal with much more effectively than I was capable of
being at that time.I struggled through the funeral and its aftermath, being
enormously helped by my family and friends.
Then
something happened which gave me hope for the future.I began to have dreams in
which Patricia tried to comfort me. I got the firm impression from these dreams
that she was ok.I struggled on during the first few months of 2007, never very
far from tears and finding it very difficult to cope with the fact of Patricia
not being here any more. Then, one April day: A MIRACLE! I had just awakened and
was contemplating getting up. I checked the time on the bedside clock, it was
9.15. Suddenly, my Patricia
was there! In bed with me! Physically!She was holding me tight, and I was
holding her. As I held her, I remember thinking “This is NOT a dream, I am
awake!”….. I remember clearly thinking this.I hugged her and kissed her and
she hugged me back. I held her in my arms, cuddling her and holding her close.
She was just as she had always been, with her lovely soft skin and beautiful
blue eyes,This experience lasted a short time….but a long time.
I
have tried to understand what I was thinking at the time but have no vocabulary
to explain the bliss I felt during the time Patricia was with me.Then, after
what seemed hours, she was gone. I looked at the bedside clock. It was almost
9.40 am.
I
then saw , hanging in the air, ( again I have no proper vocabulary to explain
it), what appeared to be a book, a golden, shimmering book, which as I looked at
it trying to think what it could be, faded away and disappeared.
Since this experience I am now positive that Patricia is not dead, but has merely passed through a door into another dimension, which I have been given the privilege, albeit briefly, of experiencing.I do not now have the terrible gnawing grief which had been with me since that terrible day when Patricia was taken from me.
I
now have the confident belief that our lives together are not over, for I have
the proof of all my senses that my Patricia is alive. I have begun to believe
that life is a learning experience which we all have to pass through, and at
some point leave.
When
we leave, we are reunited with our loved ones.
I
now have no fear for the future. For the unexplainable which I experienced has
given me knowledge in a way I cannot explain, but which leaves me in no doubt
that the careful framework we humans erect around ourselves is but a brief
illusion, which is insignificant when compared to that other reality I have had
the privilege to experience. I now know that my life has to take another
direction so that I may be able to honour the life I am privileged to be living,
and which I must have agreed with Patricia at some point in that other reality.
Perhaps
some day I will know more. For now this has to be enough, for this all-too-brief
exposure to the Light has changed me from the grieving person I was when
Patricia physically left me, to a person looking forward to whatever the future
holds, confident that Patricia is with me.