The Beginning....

   On August 22nd, 2011 I was waiting for the exciting news of my niece. My family lives in many different states, so when the news came that my niece was to be born, we were all over joyed. We had been waiting for her to make a grand entrance into the world of Life. Little did I know, that in the same day I would also suffer a loss.

   Later that afternoon I had received a phone call from my parents that my grandma (who we called "Granny") had to be rushed to the emergency room. She wasn't in good shape and things did not seem to be getting any better with her health. The doctors were telling the family that loved ones should come in from out of town. Her end was drawing near.

   I grieved over the fact that I could not make it to the hospital. We live in Charleston, SC and with my own medical issues I knew I couldn't make it to Winston-Salem, NC. It was really hard on me. Here I am sitting in my apartment with joyious news of new born niece, and the reality that I was loosing a precious grandma. I was experiencing Life & Death all in the same day.

   As I sat at my computer and waiting for family to post pictures or updates on Facebook about my new niece, I was also feeling the guilt. I hated the fact that I couldn't make it. I was getting updates also from my parents about my granny and the news was growing more grim with each passing hour. And so, along with my husband and children we waited. Little did I know though that granny would make an appearance.

   Here is when my life changed. Again I was sitting at the computer, when I heard a voice. I looked to my right and no one was there. They were saying, "Casey, Casey, Casey". I then looked around still nothing, then the voice got louder, " Casey they have to let me go, they have to let me go, it is time". I knew then who it was. My granny was coming to me as a spirit. Since I wasn't there with her physical body she came to me ask her true spirit. Her voice kept getting louder, " Casey tell them to let me go, I don't like this, Tell them to let me go". I knew what she meant.

   Before calling my parents I was crying in full force. I couldn't understand why she was coming to me. Then I thought that she knew I would listen. Granny was the type of person that you did as she said. No if, and, or buts about it you did it. She would keep repeating the same words until I made that phone call.

   I then got the courage, made the phone call and told them. My dad answered and he said, " her blood pressure looked good, she was hooked up to ventilators, and her color seemed to come back". I had said,  "Granny came to me and said it was time for her to go". I don't think people believed me, because when you love someone it is hard to let those go, especially to death.

   I finished my conversation and once we said bye and hung up the phone a calmness came over me. It was like the calmness after a storm.I knew then she was gone. In my reality granny passed away on August 22nd, 2011, but by hospital time it was August 23rd, 2011.

   To this day I felt that I let her down. She was ready to go and there was nothing that I could do about it. I had let the one person who had helped me through some dark times, who listened to me and didn't judge me, I let her down. She trusted me with one simple thing, and I let her down.

   After many months of looking back I wondered why me. I think that it may had been that I am ready for the afterlife. I accepted death over 10 years ago. Once you accept something as death, then you are able to let people know it is OK. I think also she came to me, because everyone was preparing for her burial and the loss of a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

   Little did I know though, that she had opened a door. A door that could only live in your imagination. A gift so big that only those that choose to believe will. Because of her coming to me in spirit form and trusting me with one thing lead to something that I never thought " A Gift from GOD".

   And so I will continue on another day. Always when you least expect something a glorious thing can happen. In the darkest days a light will emerge. Life does not end after this, it only begins.

  This is the beginning of my story....