Ghosts have been known to appear as soon as a loved one's soul crosses over. They come as messengers to announce their own demise. Angel or Ghost? The feeling of love and peacefulness that accompanies them can only be described as Angelic Intervention. They are letting us know they are happy; and that we are loved.
Such was the case with Uncle Jake. Dad had been left a paraplegic, from an injury he suffered in a car accident. At the time I was only seven years old. Being older than my brother, I felt his absence more acutely. I use the word absence because from the day of the accident, it was like Dad disappeared. After many months in the hospital Dad returned home a bitter non-caring member of the family.
Uncle Jake became our surrogate Dad. He was there day and night to help, not only to care for Dad, but to be there for me and my brother. He relocated both his business and his home to be with his brother and our family in this terrible time of need. He was the Angel we so desperately needed.
We became very close through the years, until a family problem separated him from our clan. We lost touch over the years. Even Dad's passing did not return Uncle Jake to us. Did he even know that Dad was no longer with us? We had no way of reaching him. He never sent us word of his whereabouts. He was always in my heart and on my mind. I was very sad about losing contact with him. I always thought of him one day walking me down the isle on my wedding day. What ever happened to alienate him and the rest of the family was a secret no one ever talked about.
Quite a few years had passed. I was now a married woman looking forward to someday having a family of my own. My husband had gone away on a business trip, so I was alone that night. I retired a little before midnight. Just as I had started to drift off I felt a tugging on the back of my nightgown. At first I thought I must be imagining things. I never even turned around. My back was to the door, I burrowed under the covers a little deeper. Again the tugging on the back of my nightgown. This time I jumped in fright, thinking someone had gained entrance into the locked house. I didn't want to see what was coming at me, so again I burrowed deeper into the covers. The third tug turned me around in the bed. Standing on the side of my bed was Uncle Jake. He was as clear as if he were really there. As soon as it registered in my terrified mind that it was my beloved uncle standing there SMILING, he disappeared. Just vanished right before my eyes.
I knew it was after midnight, but I immediately called Mom to tell her what had just happened. Mom was groggy with sleep. She laughed and said I must have been thinking about him before I fell asleep, and it was all a dream. "Well Mom," I said, "how could I dream when I wasn't yet asleep?". After trying to convince her this was not a dream I asked if I could come and spend the night. I was just two wound up for any kind of sleep that night.
I arrived at Mom's within the next hour. She had the kettle on knowing that I would want a cup of tea while I told her the whole story. As we were sitting drinking our tea and talking, mom still trying to convince me that it was all a dream, the phone rang. It was Uncle Jakes landlady and close friend. She had found our name and number in his address book. Martha had been with him when he suffered a massive heart attack. He was gone before the ambulance arrived....The hour of death was recorded as 12:05 AM.
Losing him was a lot easier just knowing that he came to say good-by. I'm forever grateful to have seen him smile one last time.
In my heart I know he is back with his brother and they are as loving and friendly as when both were innocent children.
Uncle Jake left me sole heir to his small, but much needed estate. I guess you could call that Angelic Intervention. I am now able to go back to college, without causing a financial strain on our modest budget. He always said "I'll be there for you. if ever you need me." I now believe " HE WILL ALWAYS BE MY GUARDIAN ANGEL.