Embracing the Spirits: True Stories of My Encounters With the Other Side by Barbara Parks (best ereader for graphic novels txt) 📗

was a highlight of the service. He valiantly made it through

each and every verse; his voice wavering with tears and emo-

tion. We all sobbed with him as the song soared towards its end.

I hadn’t attended a funeral for quite some time, and I won-

dered whether my increased clairvoyance would reveal any

insights that I would have otherwise missed. It didn’t take long for me to realise that this was to be my most eventful funeral yet.

I became aware of the first apparition shortly after the ser-

vice began, and it seemed to intensify as time went on. A small pair of gold wings hovered above Shirley’s casket, appearing intermittently for short 3-4 second bursts. All in all, they appeared half a dozen times, all the while glowing with their intense golden light.

At first I thought that the wings belonged to Shirley, but

reassessed this after seeing a Shirley-shaped bust appear on the blank video screen before me. Shirley seemed to be watching

over the congregation, and I was later to discover that she was basking in the love and attention being shown to her.

152Shirley’s Funeral

I later researched the meaning of psychically seeing gold

wings and discovered that they symbolise spiritual wisdom and

ascension. I wondered whether they belonged to an angelic

being who had come along to help Shirley transition to the

higher realms. Whatever they were or whoever they belonged

to, seeing them gave me a wonderful sense of peace. I had no

doubt that Shirley was being lovingly guided along her way.

Once the video screen flicked on, Shirley’s silhouette dis-

appeared. In its place, we were shown a photographic repre-

sentation of Shirley’s life. From the old black and white photos of her childhood, to her most recent adventures travelling the world, significant moments on Shirley’s life played out on the screen before us.

Shirley’s joyousness was evident in every single photo, but

none more so than a shot of a laughing Shirley modelling a

tight, unflattering beanie. Her hands are reaching towards the camera as she imitates a gangster-pose, a comical expression

on her face. At this point, the entire congregation began laughing, upon which Shirley was quick to display her amusement

herself. A large, brilliant light began flashing beside her casket.

It was an intense and beautiful purple colour, which continued to flash until the laughter died down. Each time it pulsed, I felt an overwhelming pang of emotion in my chest. It was obvious

that Shirley was thoroughly enjoying her send off, and it was

comfort to know she was there.

The privilege of my clairvoyant vision transformed a heart-

rending, sad event into something magical. Although I was

expectedly tear-stained and emotional as I left, a larger part of me was rejoicing at Shirley’s next great adventure. A more fitting song couldn’t have been chosen, as Queen’s “I want to Break Free” resonated through the chapel. Shirley had said her Shirley’s Funeral 153

farewells and assured us she was fine, and now she was ready

to move on. Shirley left us armed with her joyousness, love

and a pair of gold wings … no doubt ready to embark on her

most exciting journey yet.

chapter twenty

T h e I n t e r a c t i o n s

o f O t h e r s

Everyone seems to have a ghost story, or at least it sometimes feels that way. As time goes on it feels as though my own

ghostly experiences are not as unique as I had first imagined

them to be, and I can’t help but think that the spirit world is progressively weaving itself within the fibres of our own.

My work as a podiatrist places me in contact with people

from all walks of life, many of whom bring with them mat-

ter-of-fact accounts of their own encounters with ghosts. They range from fleeting visitations to full-blown, protracted hauntings; both of which add a richness to my workday as I share in these amazing stories.

My work as an author also attracts the attentions of those

who have had similar experiences to mine. I am frequently

privy to the personal ghost stories of my readers, who are

eager to share their experiences of the other side.

155

156The Interactions of Others

And of course, my friends often regale me with ghost sto-

ries of their own, knowing that their often barely believable accounts will be received with an open mind. I have experienced the absurd and the unbelievable myself, so I can’t dis-

miss the reality of these experiences in others.

I’m often emailed photographs, where orbs and ghostly

figures seem to populate the physical world in which we live.

There is no end to the steady stream of material in support of the reality of the spirit world and its inhabitants. It seems that I have an endless supply of fodder to fuel my appetite for the paranormal, and this in itself fills me with a sense of wonder-ment and joy.

It would be remiss of me to purely focus on my own expe-

riences, when I have been fortunate enough to hear so many

incredible stories from so many others. Below are some such

accounts, which sneak into my headspace often when I least

expect them …

Iced Coffee

Attending an interview at my daughter’s prospective school

seemed like a fairly ordinary way to spend a Thursday morn-

ing, until the spirit world wormed its way in to strip away the mundane.

The school registrar methodically worked her way through

the standard check-list of questions, until somehow the con-

versation turned to three recent deaths in the school commu-

nity. Along with two students’ parents, one of those who had

passed away was the school bus-driver; a much loved larrikin

named Eric. Eric had been an integral part of the school for

fifteen years and his death had left both the staff and students devastated. As well as his generosity and devotion to the stu-The Interactions of Others 157

dents, Eric was well known for his robust appearance and pas-

sion for iced coffee.

Given that Eric had passed away only a week or so ear-

lier, the registrar was still shaken by the news of