Beyond Death: A Story of Hope

// February 17th, 2010 // b-hind the scenes // Lawrence

Something stood out during our valentines competition last week. Nadine Genest contributed a story about her husband and artist Dominique Pinel who recently died. Read what she wrote to me below,

“About the history of the picture I took, I can add that my husband has died on November 18th 2009 and that I took this picture on 20th January 2010, 2 months after his death. I don’t know why I took my camera on that day, when I made my daily walk to the Grace Chapel (la Chapelle de Grâce) in Honfleur. It is when I put my pictures in my computer that I have discovered this very special photo (there is no trucage and I didn’t make anything on it) and that I remembered that during the previous night, my husband had told me that he would send me a sign (I had forgot it because I thought I was crazy…).”

A compelling message that certainly rocked the depths of my soul. If you’re listening, these mystical occurrences can happen when we really need them. Is it worth a debate to whether or not it is ‘real’.  The truth behind such a sign is surely the power of love, the poetry of delivery and the force and beauty of faith.

I personally found this story relevant because my uncle passed away recently. The morning after he died, his 3 year old granddaughter came to her mum and said, “mummy I slept very well last night, a nice man tucked me in.” And during that evening my cousin said his daughter was making all sorts of happy noises he had never heard her make before. As he told me all about this I saw the comfort and joy he felt from connecting it with his father. The hope and salvation it imparted.

Raised in a culture so far removed from mysticism, his faith instantaneously wavered as he said “well anyway, it could just be in my head”. Well it can’t, because it’s in my head and his wife’s too and everyone else’s who he told. Truths do not necessarily have to be confirmed in the laboratory. It is enough just to believe in them.

If you feel to, please contribute your own experiences or beliefs by leaving comments on this post.

  • nadinegenest
    Thank you Lawrence for publishing my history and for sharing your experience too. I agree with you, not necessary to prove anything because no one has got the answer. What is sure is the fact these are pure moments of love and that is the principal. I have forgot to mention that before telling me he would send me a sign, I could hear some noises upstairs where my husband used to paint. I said "if it's you, you know I am afraid of noises. So if you want to send a sign to me of your presence, do something else." I heard in my head "OK" with this very special voice he took when telling that, joking at me and the noises immediately stopped. You know the rest. I will end by saying that what is common to our histories is that we haven't provoked anything and for my part, I am not looking for such events. I only take this very special and unique history as a gift. I wish you courage and I send all my best to you Lawrence.
  • I loved this post.
    My experience of this is that my husband died 11 years ago now.
    We had emigrated from the UK two years prior after which a lot of "stuff" happened to me. Approximately 6 months after he died, my dog adopted me. He just showed up at my front door one morning.
    My husband had always wanted a dog and Ben (my dog) seemed to know. My husband's ashes are buried on my property just under a tree near my house. For the first few months after Ben adopted me he just sat on the spot where my husband's ashes are buried. He sat there almost all day, every day for months.
    I swore that Ben was my husband, reincarnated.
    Of course if I talk to most people about that they think I'm completely crazy!!
    Its nice to be able to tell that story.
    These things do happen; we just need to believe.

    Linda
  • barbaraleavitt
    Linda, I for one do believe you..but it is really hard to change some one's belief system..if you tell a person your story and they don't believe you..you can tell by their vibes..you can feel a wall go up..I have seen and talked to the dead for a few years..I get messages from the dead to contact their loved ones..and then tell them what their loved one said..but over the years it has been difficult to share this..I have seen people get angry that I don't respect the dead..far from it..I respect the dead enough to listen to them..and the dead don't have bodies so it is very difficult to make someone hear them..it makes them very sad not to be able to be heard by their loved ones..and so they come to me and I feel this urgency to contact the living and tell them about my experience..the dead know I do this so a lot of them come to me..to the point of me having to say look your loved ones don't believe in this so please don't come to me anymore..and I help them cross over by going into the light..my own family said things about me ..called me crazy when I called my dad and told him he was going to die..he told my sister and she took him to the hospital and he had a by pass..and is alive today because I had the courage to call him..it wasn't easy..he has thanked me over and over for calling him..but I suffered for this act..so it makes it hard for me to communicate things to my family..just recently my grandmother came to me and wants me to contact her last girl she had..her name is Linda..well I don't want to..I don't know Linda that well to talk to her and would have to go through my dad..and I just don't want to be hurt again..so I am rejecting the idea of calling him..and so on..just a few days ago I heard my door bell ring at least 3 times and heard a knock on the door..there were no foot prints in the deep snow at my door..so..maybe it is my grandmother trying to get me to listen to her and contact her daughter..so listen to your dead..talk to them openly as if they were there with you..they can hear you..it makes them totally happy to be recognized by you..good luck..barbara leavitt
  • Lawrence
    Hi Linda,
    Thank you, that's a beautiful story.
    Lawrence
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