I’m often asked why spirits visit us on Earth, once they’ve crossed over.  If they’re on the other side, why would they want to leave eternal bliss and come back here? We often hear of their jobs on the other side, so how can they leave and visit us? There can be several reasons why spirits visit the Earth.  The purpose of a spiritual visit depends on the needs of the person on Earth being visited, but most often spirit visits are meant to help us heal.

It was Easter Sunday–a full year after my paternal grandmother had passed.  Though she hung around a bit before her funeral and gave me a couple of signs, we had not heard from her since.  My father seemed a little blue that whole year, as he missed the love of his mother. As we sat packed like sardines in the church listening to the priest’s homily, my older sister, Adrienne began wiping tears off her cheeks with her fingertips.  I gave her a shove with my elbow as if to ask, “What’s your problem?” At seventeen, I was acutely afraid of being embarrassed in public and her behavior had the potential to cause a scene.  Her tears quickly turned into sobbing.  I sank down in my seat as the other parishioners turned their heads and starred with quizzical eyes.

My mother handed her some tissues and Adrienne patted her face with them. In the meantime, a tiny elderly woman with a wooden cane sat in the seat next to Adrienne, which was one of a handful of available seats left in the church. She also blocked my view from the rest of the starring parishioners, which I welcomed with gratitude.  The sweet woman smiled politely and I thought she had a wonderful friendly vibe about her.  A few minutes later, my sister excused herself to the bathroom and returned with a fresh, tearless face.

After mass ended, my mother asked Adrienne why she had become upset.  My sister tearfully said that she saw my paternal grandmother, “Grandma,” on the other side of the church.  Grandma wore her Sunday best–a peach dress, white gloves a white satin purse.  My sister said Grandma waved to us and seemed like she wanted to take the empty seat next to our family, but the elderly woman got there before her.  After the woman sat in the seat, my sister looked up and Grandma disappeared.

As my sister shared her story, tears glistened in my father’s eyes.  Unbeknownst to all of us, as a staunch Catholic, he had prayed every day since his mother’s passing.  He asked Jesus to give him a sign that his mother was OK.  In the Catholic religion, Easter celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  For my father, having a sign from his mother on Easter Sunday was very special.  We also later remembered that we had in fact buried her in that same peach dress with her white purse.

My grandmother has come through several times over the years, but that first visit was the most important.  The reassurance of his mother’s love mended my father’s wounded heart.  Had he told us about his heavenly request, the visit would have been less effective. But since none of us knew about it, the visit was purely divine.  Our passed-on loved ones visit when we need them.  They provide guidance, love and support.  We should take comfort in the fact that even though they’re busy on the other side, they can be here for us, when we need them.

Love and light,

Anysia