Strange sightings after a love one had passed - starting up this conversation for 2022.

My father died suddenly when i was 26. We were very close. A few years after his passing, i had a dream that we were at my friends house at a get together. I saw my father there! He looked right at me but didn't acknowledge me. You can imagine the happiness and excitement to see him, but such sadness to not recognize me. It bothered me for years. Then again, a few years later, i had a dream being in the same house at the same get together as in my first dream and this time my father saw me and smiled at me! We did not talk or exchange anything other than a smile. I am so thankful of his smile.

lealonnie - Since my mom passed away a few weeks ago, I've been cleaning out her stuff slowly. Today, I picked up her purse and wallet and went through them. Tons of folded tissues and napkins, nothing valuable, but stuck deep in her wallet was a total of 11 cents. I remember your story about finding dimes and pennies that add up to 11 and I wonder if this was a coincidence or something more. My hope is that she is with the angels. Thought I share with you all.

PolarBear says, "I find it insulting that those who never had any experience in this area, and never bother to read up or study the paranormal, think they know our experiences and our truths better than we do and proceed to analyze our experiences to fit their ignorant and narrow minds."

Amen & HEAR HEAR, I second your sentiment 100% PB!!!

Before dad died, I kept seeing 1:11 and 11:11 on the clock, which was the angel signs to me that all was well up above; that dad was getting ready to transition and I wasn't doing anything 'wrong'. It gave me peace to see those angel signs. After he died, I immediately started finding pennies (1s) and dimes (10s) that added up to 11s everywhere I went; I saved them all up and have A TON of pennies and dimes in a little bank. Anyway, on that note, I had a very vivid 'dream' or a visitation from dad one night. He was laughing and holding up a shiny penny in his fingers, pushing his hand towards me saying "Here's your penny for today!" He was happy and healthy and not sick with a brain tumor as he was in his earthly form. I'll never forget that 'dream' and all it signified to me, to this day, and that was almost 7 years ago. It brought me great comfort to know that dad was whole and happy again on the other side.

My daughter was quite close with her grandfather, too, so she also had a 'dream' one night not long after he passed. He was laughing and calling her name, which brought her a sense of comfort. She called me crying that she'd 'seen Gramps and he was looking and doing great!'

I have other stories too, but that's it for now. So nice to read all of yours, too! I think they're great! Thanks for sharing.

So far most comments have been about family members. I’d like to tell of my first experience with the “supernatural” concerning a good friend.

My wife and I visited a good friend of ours, “J”, who was in hospice with only a matter of days left before passing. Her mind was sound and she and I discussed her moving on knowing she was Heaven-bound. I asked her to let me know when she made it to Heaven. She said she would. Several days later at her funeral, open casket, as I walked up to the casket, “J” winked at me with her left eye. She let me know! Scoff if you will. I know what I saw. God works in mysterious ways. He also has a sense of humor.

My Mom has "visited" me several times through dreams (which I rarely have or remember) since she has passed. I never expected this or even thought about it before. Each "visit" has been comforting and reassuring to me. Mom wasn't a church going person in her mid to later years, but she was certainly a christian. I know I'll see her in the Great By and By.

Thank you, polarbear, for your note! I think of that often, and I do feel so lucky. I want them to come back sooo badly!

MM, love your story. The part where you screamed made me laugh. Sorry.

The brilliant white light yet not painful to the eyes that you saw is often reported by people who have had near death experiences. You're lucky to have seen it.

What a wonderful story, freqflyer! Thank you for a beautiful lift in the morning!

Last year, about three years after my Mom's passing (I was her live-in caregiver for 13 months until she passed), I woke up in the middle of the night and, in that half-sleep state, slowly rolled onto my back and opened my eyes.

Up by the ceiling was Mom head--fresh from the hairdresser's--and just behind and to the left of her head was a another woman's head--glowing bright white but not painful to the eyes. I stared and--to my distress afterward--I screamed. In that instant I blinked and they were gone.

I kick myself for screaming but it was so unexpected and ... shocking. Months later when I was reviewing the few paranormal instances I had seen in my life, the unknown woman's silhouette fit exactly the young woman I saw when I was a teen--only then she was an entire young woman, sitting on the edge of the bed, erect posture, straight blond hair hanging past her collarbones, looking toward the floor, her hands clasping in her lap, wearing a white choir robe. She didn't move, but it scared me and I ran out. If I cut out the shape of her head and her hair, that's the entity just behind Mom. I'll never know if she was a relative or a guardian angel. I'd love for them both to return--and I won't scream!

I really think that people who have a glimpse into the afterlife are the lucky ones. Those people who had near death experiencs are no longer afraid of death. Next best thing is to receive signs or messages from your loved ones who have passed away.

I find it insulting that those who never had any experience in this area, and never bother to read up or study the paranormal, think they know our experiences and our truths better than we do and proceed to analyze our experiences to fit their ignorant and narrow minds.

When I was 11 years old I awoke in the middle of the night to a vision of my grandmother. She was glowing in a bright white light at the end of my bed and happier than I'd ever seen her. I remember smiling and falling back asleep.

When I woke up later that morning my mother told me that Grandma had passed away at a hospital in Canada, about 300 miles from my home. The experience was so powerful. I never questioned it, it was simply true. I never grieved her because in her new truth she was not depressed nor sick nor frail (as I'd always known her); she was finally happy.

After my dad passed in 2009 I had a couple dreams about him. He was with us at a family gathering, like a birthday celebration for one of my kids. He didn't speak, but he was happy, he was okay. He didn't say that, but I knew it seeing him. He also helped me solve a couple of electrical problems around my house at the time because he could fix anything......that was right after he passed I think he has moved on now....

Not really a story about after my mom passed but last August we had just moved her from our house into an assisted living facility after she had taken a fall. I had been over to see her and she was asking where my dad was, he had taken the car in and she hadn't heard from him. He passed in 2009. Then I took my 17 year old son over to see her and her face lit up she grabbed his hand (not her usual behavior) she asked me where I found him. I said he lives with me. She then told him that she saw him earlier in the cafeteria walking across the room in his gray pin stripe suit and was telling the woman she was with who he was. She thought my son was my dad. She also told me a story that same week about my dad reading an article in the paper about some current event. Anyway, she died at the end of that week. Now I look back and can't believe I didn't see it coming. I have read many accounts by hospice nurses about the veil being lifted right before death. I am sure my dad was there to take her.

During my grandmother's memorial service, one of her friends was telling me about a visit from his late mother and said, "Don't be surprised if you see her. It's going to happen." I smiled sympathetically and thought that was HIS experience but it wouldn't be mine.

One night while sleeping in her old room/bed, I was feeling guilt and regret over how things went in the few months before she passed. Then I felt her more than I saw her, but I saw her, too, in some way -- standing in the doorway. She told me not to worry about that stuff. And that she was happy and at peace.

Some of your stories here gave me goosebumps. I'm agnostic but have faith in something bigger than us, and chalk otherworldly stuff up to one's beliefs and the brain's ability to manifest perceptions. I wouldn't think this happens but it's happened to me more than once. The other time was when a bf died when I was about 20yo. I saw him in some kind of dream state when I was sleeping, and he talked to me, and it was a similar message that washed over me. I felt it as well as saw him. "I'm ok, I'm at peace." It's happened at other times, but those were the times I saw something, not just felt a presence.

Thinking again on this subject, I wonder if the bonds we form are responsible for these "sightings."   Bonds can last for years, and I wonder if that strength is what keeps those who are no longer with us in our minds.

It wouldn't surprise me if somewhere, someplace, some experiments have been conducted on this phenomenon.  It would be hard though b/c the sightings seem to be random.

Did a quick search and got some hits.   It's easier to just post the links so anyone who's interested can check them out.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=psychic+phenemonon%2C+seeing+deceased+loved+ones&iflsig=ALs-wAMAAAAAYd3WcjYSsPbzC2FE19wBtIkQ68T2l-J4&gbv=2&oq=psychic+phenemonon%2C+seeing+deceased+loved+ones&gs_l=heirloom-hp.3...1277.19380.0.19474.50.22.0.28.1.0.176.2617.5j17.22.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..28.22.2566.b5zCJkwuL8I

Or just search on "psychic phenemonon, seeing deceased loved ones".

The only one I checked was just a small study:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/palliative-and-supportive-care/article/endoflife-dreams-and-visions-as-perceived-by-palliative-care-professionals-a-qualitative-study/5B665642AE368A5098FC7F5812FB75A5

I guess we're not the only ones seeing deceased pets and family (and/or friends).

Here's the link to another thread of similar topic. Also, great posts there too.

https://www.agingcare.com/questions/true-when-someone-sees-deceased-loved-they-are-going-to-pass-430166.htm?orderby=recent

I thought I told my stories in the 2019 thread but I couldn't find them there. I'll recount my stories again here then.

This happened when my mother was very sick, almost near death. For weeks, she kept telling me that my late father came to her room to see her. I never saw anything, so I figured it was her confused/tired mind that saw things. One night, I was standing at her bed. She then pointed toward the end of the bed and said that my late father was standing there looking at her. I looked towards the end of the bed and saw nothing. I told her there was no one there. Then, I saw him, in the mirror, walking out of the room through the wall and window.

Another strange thing that happened to me. This was years ago when I was studying for the CPA exam. That exam was only held twice a year and cost a good chunk of money to sign up and months and months of studying. The night before the exam, I studied late into the night, and set an alarm to wake me up early. Anyone who came late would not be allowed in. No exception. Well, my alarm went off and I kept sleeping. What saved me was my cell phone. It rang and woke me up. I looked at the phone and it said unknown caller. I pushed answer and there was no one, then the line got disconnected. The call came just in time for me to get ready and rushed to the exam location.

I love this topic. I did a search and found the old tread from 2019. It has many posts with amazing stories.

https://www.agingcare.com/discussions/strange-sightings-after-a-love-one-had-passed-448241.htm?orderby=oldest

My beloved cat died a few years ago. We were simpatico.
A few weeks after she passed I was not feeling well so I went to lie down. I had covered my eyes with my hand and lay there for awhile. I was in a very deep relaxed state. I felt something jump on my bed and walk up the bed and then lay down and snuggle next to me. Just like she used to do. I opened my eyes and there she was looking at me. I told her I was okay and not worry and that she could go and be at peace. I haven't seen her since.

My DD spent the nights around Christmas here, and she slept in my Mom and Dads room. I have slept there several times, and a friend has slept there as well,, no issues. The first night she heard some shuffling footsteps, and looked up see someone looking at her. She was not alarmed, didn;t feel scared. She is sure it was probably my dad as he had the alz shuffle. Next night no issues. So who knows?

I think the power of nonverbal communication and/or communication through still undefined means is one of those phenomena that still are subject to scientific exploration.   Despite having been here for thousands of years, we still have a lot to learn about ourselves.  

And I suspect that between the pandemic and the sometimes volatile political situations, as well as what seems to be increasing violence, we're also facing short and/or long term adjustments in our relations with others.

I also think that adjustments to life changing events sometimes require months if not years.   Think of the two world wars, the aftermaths, as well as those countries that are periodically and sometimes continually engaged in violence.  And unfortunately, sometimes these can be lifetime events.

And things that remind us of someone specifically might be triggering emotions that create the sensations we experience.  The human mind is very complex.

I've often wondered if the relationship we've had with others is so strong that certain objects instill the responses we experience.    I used to smell my sister's perfume for several months after her death.   I no longer smell it (of course, it may be too old!), but I still miss her and sometimes segue into a relapse of our good life together, and those times when she was severely ill with cancer.

Perhaps some day psychic phenomena will be subject to more explanation.   And unfortunately, there probably would be scalpers, scoundrels and others who exploit this.   (Watch for daytime commercials to focus on this!)

I do think that your relationship with your cats and family reflect very positively on you for developing those kinds of cherished bonds.