Material Matters: ADCs of Physical Phenomena
Those who are bereaved often report receiving a wide variety of physical signs from their deceased relative or friend, such as: lights or lamps blinking on and off; radios, televisions, stereos, mechanical objects, and toys being activated; photographs, pictures, and various other items being turned over or moved; and a very long list of “things that go bump in the night.” Messages are sometimes left on computers, telephone answering machines, and other electronic devices.
Sample Stories
Katherine is a 47-year-old nurse in New Jersey. She had cause to rejoice long after her husband, Steve, died of a massive coronary aboard his sailboat:
About five years after my husband’s death, I was still missing him very much. I lay down in my bedroom with a little light on and was playing some soft music.
I said, “Steve, I would really like to know if you’re all right. But don’t scare me or do anything crazy. I just need to know that you’re okay wherever you are.”
There was a weather radio that he once kept on his sailboat. It had been in my bedroom for almost a year. You have to push down a button for it to play.
Suddenly, it came on all by itself! It played and played until I shut it off. And then I knew Steve was telling me that he was okay.
About five years after my husband’s death, I was still missing him very much. I lay down in my bedroom with a little light on and was playing some soft music.
I said, “Steve, I would really like to know if you’re all right. But don’t scare me or do anything crazy. I just need to know that you’re okay wherever you are.”
There was a weather radio that he once kept on his sailboat. It had been in my bedroom for almost a year. You have to push down a button for it to play.
Suddenly, it came on all by itself! It played and played until I shut it off. And then I knew Steve was telling me that he was okay.
James is a professor of music at a university in Missouri. He had this endearing moment with his wife, Christina, who died of cancer when she was 43:
The night after Christina’s funeral, I woke up about 4:00 in the morning and went to the kitchen to make some coffee. There were some glasses on the counter close to the coffee maker.
All of a sudden, one of those glasses rang out three times, very loud and regular – loud enough to be startling. I stood still and then shifted my weight from side to side, to see if I could cause anything in the kitchen to move, to ring, or to make a noise. But I couldn’t do so.
Simultaneously, I had a feeling of great warmth and got a communication from Christina, “Thanks, with love. I’m okay now.” Then I knew she was all right and released from a lot of pain and sorrow.
I think Christina wanted to show appreciation for some really loving care I had given her for several years. It showed me that her mind was still working well. She could think, she could cause things to happen, and she still had her sense of humor.
I like the fact that this experience dealt with sound – because I’m a musician and so was Christina. I am absolutely sure it was not an hallucination and that it happened. It gave me a sense of great peace and wonderment and delight.
The night after Christina’s funeral, I woke up about 4:00 in the morning and went to the kitchen to make some coffee. There were some glasses on the counter close to the coffee maker.
All of a sudden, one of those glasses rang out three times, very loud and regular – loud enough to be startling. I stood still and then shifted my weight from side to side, to see if I could cause anything in the kitchen to move, to ring, or to make a noise. But I couldn’t do so.
Simultaneously, I had a feeling of great warmth and got a communication from Christina, “Thanks, with love. I’m okay now.” Then I knew she was all right and released from a lot of pain and sorrow.
I think Christina wanted to show appreciation for some really loving care I had given her for several years. It showed me that her mind was still working well. She could think, she could cause things to happen, and she still had her sense of humor.
I like the fact that this experience dealt with sound – because I’m a musician and so was Christina. I am absolutely sure it was not an hallucination and that it happened. It gave me a sense of great peace and wonderment and delight.