A Story That Will Make You Smile!

[LoriS.]

Hi everyone! I don't remember if I've posted this story already, but I thought it would be a good time to do so...with all of the stresses surrounding the passing of our loved ones and the upcoming holiday season. I think all of us are looking for some kind of sign from them. I always feel my mom and we "talk". But something happened recently where I really had a tangeble (sp?) sign...something that I could touch.

My oldest daughter got married on October 5th. About a week before the wedding, I remembered that my mom had given me years ago quite a few handkerchiefs that were either gifts to her, or she purchased or that were her sister's (my aunt). They were in a beautiful silk case and I kept them in one of my drawers in my dresser. I thought to myself that I should look through and find a special one to bring to the wedding that I could use during the actual ceremony. It would be my way of having something that I am holding of my moms' that would bring me comfort as I dried my tears and blew my nose during the ceremony (and it wouldn't get all crumpled up like kleenex!).

So I sat down on on the floor and carefully unraveled the silk case and started my quest to find the perfect hanky to bring with me to the wedding. I started to go through each one and I decided I would take the one that "spoke" to me. Well, I found one that had my moms initial of her first name and it was dainty and understated just like her. So, that was the one I was going to bring. It was about the 10th one I looked at. I was having so much fun looking at all of these old beautiful hankys, I decided to look at all of them. There were about 30. So I unfolded each one and was just imagining when she got these, who were they from, what were the circumstances, etc.. I came across one that had a white background and had brown squiggly lines...not feminine looking and kind of a funny design to have on a hankerchief. So I opened it up and it looked like a western scene. There were two cactus and a mountain inbetween the cactus. I studied it for a second and asked my self if my parents or any other relative were in Arizona or New Mexico long ago. Well, I didn't have the answer to that. I looked at the hanky again and I noticed that the cactus were tall with the big "arms" coming up from the sides. I knew what they were. They are called Saguaros (pronounced swarows) In between the two saguaros was a mountain with a flat top. That is called a Butte (like the word beautiful). The reason that I know this is that my daughter that got married lives in Arizona and has been for the last 7 years and I would ask her about the big cactus with arms and the mountains with a flat top.

I thought about it for a minute and it hit me. The name of the place that my daughter had her wedding was "Reflections at the Saguaro Buttes" !!!

I truly think it was a sign from my mom. I brought it with me to Arizona to the wedding and gave it to my daughter. She was amazed. Now she carries it with her wherever she goes!

So...I really do believe that there was a connection there! It warmed my heart as well as everyones heart that I have told this story to.

My best wishes to all of you as we approach the holiday season.

I don't post very often anymore, but I wanted to share this story with all of you as I know that we are all searching for some kind of sign and also to create a smile for you!

Hugs to all of you...Lori

[karenb]

What a wonderful story, Lori. Thanks for sharing that with us.

Your friend, Karen

[Corinne]

Lori,

Thank you so much for sharing that story. I believe that our loved ones are still with us and they do show us in little ways. Your story reminded me of something that happened on Thanksgiving I forgot to share. I was mixing a meatloaf (my older daughter is a picky eater and asked me to make her meatloaf so wanting to make the day special for her I made her a meatloaf), while I was mixing the ingredients I was looking down and I saw my Nana's hands, they were really my hands but I was mixing the meat exactly the way she used to, it gave me such a warm feeling and I new she was with me on a very hard day for me.

Hugs & prayers,

Corinne

[MartyT]

Such stories warm our hearts and remind us that our loved ones are always with us, don't they? We just need to pay attention! Thank you all for sharing, and make sure you read the lastest addition to our Latest News forum, Helen's Christmas Story

[WendyJ]

Lori I just loved reading your story, how special that was !!! Marty I also loved reading Helen's Christmas Gift, I would love to read more just like that one !

Love,

Wendy

[karenb]

Marty,

Thank you for Helen's Christmas Story. I loved it.

Your friend, Karen

[shell]

Lori,

How wonderful! Thanks for telling us.

Hugs,

Shell

Marty,

I read Helen's Christmas Gift a couple of nights ago and loved it. Thanks.

Hugs,

Shell

[LoriS.]

Hi everyone! I am glad that you liked my story and I also loved Helen's Christmas Gift story. Like Marty said, we just need to pay attention and things like this will begin to show up for us.

Corrinne, I know what you mean about the meatloaf...about seeing your Nana's hands. My mom and I have very different looking hands, but just the movement sometimes of the way I do things with them remind me of her!

Hugs to everyone...Lori

Edited December 1, 2007 by LoriS.

[Stallyn]

Beautiful story Lori, thanks for sharing that.

Love,

William

[LoriS.]

Thanks William. I see you are from Phoenix. We drive through Phoenix when we visit our daugher in Tucson. We live about an hour north of LA. Arizona has the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen! When you're feeling down, look at the sunset and believe me, your wifes' spirit is there in the beauty of that sunset!

Take care...Lori

[Stallyn]

Lori, yes I am in the greater phoenix area, been here for 40 years, and its not the same but the sunsets are beautiful this time of year with the yellow and orange hues, it would be nice for many of us to get together. You are the closest to Phoenix, its a 8 hour drive right? I know going to vegas takes 8

Love,

William

[rosanne]

LoriS,

What a sweet story.... that was sent to you as a gift during a very special time in your life.

Thanks for sharing

Rosanne

[LoriS.]

William, Phoenix takes about 6 hours to drive to. From where we live when we drive, it's 2 hours to Palm Springs, we have dinner there, than we go another 2 hours to the Arizona/Ca. border, stay overnight, another 2 hours to Phoenix for breakfast the next morning, than another 2 hours to Tucson where our daughter and son-in-law live. Wow...I can't believe I just wrote "son-in-law"! I don't know how you guys take the summers over there!!! It's soooo hot!!! Yes, it would be nice to get together one of these days...

Rosanne...thank you for your response. Yes, it was a very special gift from my Mom at a very special time in my life. The wedding was just beautiful with the big cactus on the mountains all around us and the shadows that were cast from the sunset was amazing! One of my friends told me that she felt a very spiritual connection to the the universe at the wedding...half of the people that were there were unfamiliar with the beautiful scenery that Arizona has to offer.

Edited December 6, 2007 by LoriS.

[AnnieO]

Lori,

You are right, your story did make me smile. It's beautiful. It also reminded me that my mom has a box of handkerchiefs somwhere too. I am going to find them. I believe I had a message from my mom yesterday, my son called and was so upset, he had been in a minor car accident, no-one was hurt(thank god) but his car was damaged and stuck in a snowbank. I was drving to help him and found myself, stressed and mad at him. Then clear as a bell this memory popped into my head, I was 16, just got my license, slid off the road on some ice and called my mom. She showed up to help me , hugged me , told me she was so happy I wasn't hurt and it was "just a car" and got in the car and drove it back on the road. As I remembered this, it made me smile and I said out loud, "okay, mom I get the message"..so when I saw my son, I hugged him and told him the same thing my mom had said to me. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story with us.

[Corinne]

Annie,

That is a beautiful story and only serves to remind us that our loved ones are still with us. Now your son will remember the loving and caring way you handled a very upsetting moment in his life.

Hugs & prayers,

Corinne

[LoriS.]

Annie, things happen like that happen all the time to me...where something will happen now, and I'll get a memory of me and how my mom handled it or what she would have said to me...than I am able to pass it on and handle it like she would have. If we are open to these "messages" from them, I think that our lives today will surely be enhanced! I think that it is very cool!

Sorry about your son and his accident...and also glad that he is ok!

Hugs to everyone...Lori