On Friday, Grandma H, Mom and I went to the cemetery where Grandma H’s parents and sisters are buried. Grandma H and I visit most weeks and try to tend to the graves in the spring.
This time we went to refresh the fake flowers on my great grandmother’s grave. It was a crisp spring day heading into early evening. The sun was still out but not as strong as it had been all day.
The breeze whipped Grandma H’s blouse around, so we didn’t stay too long. As we turned to go, we looked up in a pine tree. At the tippity-top sat a crow. Watching over us.
“Oh my goodness, look at the bird! It must be a sign,” Grandma H said.
The crow cawed back at her.
“Maybe it’s one of them letting us know they know we are here,” Mom said.
The crow cawed back at her.
I nodded. “Did Great Aunt M like birds?”
“Yes she did,” Mom said.
The crow cawed back at her.
“Maybe it’s her,” I said.
The bird stayed on top of the tree watching us until we opened our car doors. Then it suddenly took flight, swooping over our car and off into the sky.
As we pulled out of the cemetery, Mom said, “You know it was your Great Aunt J’s birthday today.”
You may not believe in signs, but on that particular afternoon, I did.
I love signs, I wish I had them more. I think that’s lovely!
Me too. I think sometimes there are more than we realize, we’re just too busy to notice. 🙂
We used to tend family graves in old rural cemeteries, too. Bird messenger doesn’t surprise me – often there were “things” ….like flowers that laster much longer than they should, a soft breeze while you tended graves in the middle of a hot still summer, a favorite flower( that no one planted not native) suddenly appearing and growing all summer. Smiles and approval sent? Nice slice of life story.
Isn’t that amazing? Funny that you mention the flowers. My grandmother was upset that there were no flowers growing over my great aunts’ graves. She planted some creeping plants but they never bloomed. She lamented it the entire trip to the cemetery on Wednesday. Low and behold when we got there, the creeper plant was blooming and dozens of purple flowers she’d never planted had also bloomed all across the graves. She was thrilled. 🙂 Definitely someone saying thanks, I think. 🙂
Wow! Stories like that always touch my heart 🙂
It touched ours too. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Just when I think nothing can crack my cynicism, I hear a story like that. Sometimes it’s hard to write off as coincidence, isn’t it? On the day of my father-in-law’s funeral, my sister-in-law spotted a bald eagle. A rare enough sighting as it is, but bald eagles happened to be my father-in-law’s favorite creature. He’d talk about them often. Chills, I tell you…
Carrie, the weirdest part was every time we asked a question or made a statement about its presence, the crow cawed at us. And it had been silently watching the whole time we had our backs to her and were standing at the graves. What’s the downside of believing? It’s comforting to think spirits of loved ones aren’t gone forever. 🙂
That’s such a cool story! Marathons of chills. 🙂
The last time I visited my maternal grandparents’ graves, it was a cold, cloudy day. There had been no sun at all. They’ve been inspiration for some of my writing. Although I never knew my grandfather, he was a writer. I had been telling them about the books (not out loud).
As we left, I ran my hand over the top of the granite gravestone. Most of it was cold, as it should have been, given the weather. But the spot over my grandfather’s name was warm, as if the sun had been shining on it.
I believe in signs. 🙂
JM, that is a beautiful memory. Thanks for sharing it here. He definitely wanted you to know how proud he was of you. 🙂
I believe in that. That’s eerie. Defiite sign.
I do too. It sounds eerie but it was really cool and comforting. 🙂
TINGLY STORY —— !!!!!
LOVE IT …..
IS IT TOMORROW PERHAPS ………..
THE SPECIAL DAY 🙂
I HAVE MY GIMME A K POMPOMS ON XO
🙂
AND KNOW THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS –
YOU ROCK ———
AND ARE A WONDERFUL WRITER – AND WHAT’S MORE ———
HEART XOXOXO
CXX
Thanks so much for cheering me on Catherine! Your support means more than I can say. Should find out at 1pm. Whatever happens, I am still a quarterfinalist. 🙂
And it was very spine tingly. But not in a scary way. More inspirational vibe. 🙂
🙂 1PM TOMORROW – EST ? RIGHT 🙂
I AM SHUTTING DOWN THE MAC AND GONNA WATCH SOMETHING ROMANTIC AND DUMB ….LOL …SOMETIMES DUMB IS GOOD …..LOL
I WISH YOU THE BESTEST LUCK ……:)
AND YES YOU ARE MORE THAN A 1/4 FINALIST ——-
YOU JUST ROCK IT …….
BEEN A LOVELY JOURNEY THUS FAR KOURTNEY ………………
SO WILL CHECK IN TOMORROW …..
AND WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL NIGHT 🙂
XOC
Yup 1pm EST. Aw thanks Catherine. Hope you found a good movie to watch. And had a great great night.
“ONE DAY ” ……..CHEEZ BUT GOOD CHEEEZ …….
HAPPY 24TH 🙂
XX
I AM UP WAY TOO EARLY
XX
Thanks Catherine! Wow that was early! Found out at 12:50 today. I made the semifinals!!!
AYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYAYYAYAYY! XOXOXOXZOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXOOXOXOXOOXOXOOXOXOOXOX
HAPPY FOR YOU XO
Thanks! 🙂 It was heart stopping. I made myself check twice. Then I made my friend check a few times to be sure. 🙂
Wow! Spooky. Crows are supposed to be highly intelligent birds. I’ve got a chill right now.
CC, I think they are also linked with death as ferriers of souls or messengers from the dead in some myth and folklore. Very cool. And it gave me goose bumps too. 🙂
OH what a great thought. I love it when things like that happen.
Me too! It’s pretty cool. 🙂
My grandmother passed away last year. She wanted to be cremated and have her ashes spread on her parents’ gravesite. At the cemetery, as my mom gently emptied the urn, a butterfly came and landed on the gravestone. When my mom was done, it simply flew away.
Simon that is so lovely. I like to believe loved ones can sends signs to us. And I believe it was your grandmother thanking your mom for carrying out her last request. 🙂
🙂 I’ve always found crows to be very sinister birds…
They can be. :)Crows have always been around me in CT. I like them because caw caw caw sounds so much like Kour Kour Kour (my nickname). 🙂
SO HAPPY FOR YOU KOURTNEY ——-
HOPE YOU ARE CELEBRATING BIG TIME !!!!
HUGGS XO
C
Thanks Catherine! Had a delicious Thai lunch and a kick ass dinner in Chinatown. Awesome day!
Hugs,
Kourtney