I walked over to my mailbox to retrieve the day's mail while Malachy Dachshund barked impatiently in the car. Inside the mailbox, was a small beige envelope from my friend Lorraine Brustas. I opened it immediately as I had been waiting to receive the lovely celebration of life card of her husband and my dear friend Paul.
Paul had made his transition earlier this year after an arduous battle with brain cancer-he was only in his late 50's... The card graced a photo of Paul's ever-smiling face on the front. Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered Paul. I had known him since I was about 14 years old growing up in San Diego and he was a close friend of my Mom's and our family. He was like a big brother to me. He was THE kindest, gentlest, most patient and one of the wisest men I have ever been blessed to know in this life! He always had a cheerful outlook and had that great big Greek smile that lit up every room he entered! In fact, my Mom and all of us affectionately nick-named him "Paul-the-Greek."
Later in Paul's life, he met and married the love of his life, Lorraine and they enjoyed many happy years together, but of course not enough years. I had not been in touch with Paul since my step-Dad Donn passed away back in 2002. We managed to reconnect via that wonderful cyber entity known as Facebook early in 2011. I was so glad to have the chance to speak with him on the phone last year as we shared our experiences, and hopes for healing. (I was and still am recovering from multiple injuries from a fall I had on the job in 2010.) Paul was very open-minded and did not want to go the "chemo and radiation" route as he had seen so many of his friends including my Mom lose their lives with this horrid "option." I admired his courage as he shared with me about his consultation with a Chinese Grand Master healer. The Grand Master gave Paul a prescription for drinking several cups a day of a wild conglomeration of herbal teas that had such a repugnant odor, it gave a whole new meaning to the term "witches brew!"
I thought about Paul often all throughout last year and was setting forth the intention of enjoying visiting him and meeting his angel wife, Lorraine in San Diego in 2012. I visualized him as a healed and whole man- it was my sincere prayer...Then in January of this year I got the devastating news from Lorraine that Paul had passed away. It really rocked me. Again I cried tears of deep loss and anguish for what might have been...
After reading Paul's celebration of life card, I decided to take Malachy Dachshund to a local park. Since my hip and shoulder injuries from my fall in 2010, I could no longer take Malachy for walks, so I did the next best thing which was to take him out for some fresh air while holding onto his Flexi-leash with my uninjured left arm and giving him some much needed freedom to romp in the grass. Being the little hound that he is, with an expert nose, he began sniffing obsessively at a patch of tall reeds. I tried luring him in like a fishing reel with a prize catch, but to no avail. So I walked over to where he was "pointing"-yes, he actually thinks he's a Pointer and it's the cutest thing ever to see him "point!" I parted the reeds to find a very intricately designed bird's nest holding a total of nine white eggs. The eggs were a dull matte finish and perfectly undisturbed!
Malachy left disappointed that he could not have an evening appetizer of fresh eggs and I walked away in awe as we headed back to the car. When I turned on the radio, what song comes on but "Old Time Rock & Roll" by none other than Michigan legend, Bob Seger! I immediately thought of my friend Paul and turned up the volume in his honor as Paul loved Bob Seger with as much passion as I love U2! As I was driving, I began to smell a highly floral, sweet Honeysuckle type of fragrance and began to sneeze several times. It was so odd as all of my windows in the car were up and I was not wearing any cologne. Nor was I near any flowers in the park! I began to sense that my angels were with me-it was very soothing to my soul.
When I arrived home, I immediately went to my trusty Mac laptop and researched the symbolism behind bird's nests and nine eggs as I have held a life-long fascination with all things symbolic and metaphysical, believing that the Universe always speaks to us if we'd but listen, hear, see, and smell... to my excitement, I discovered a link that said "The number nine represents the inspiration and perfection of ideas." (I had recently been asking the Divine for inspiration and motivation to begin writing a children's book!) also, "The number nine was considered sacred in Greece." Key word... "Greece" cha-ching! My friend Paul was 100% Greek! The link went on to say that the number nine also represented nine choruses of angels and "beseeches us to recognize our own internal attributes and extend these abilities out into the world." Again, this spoke directly to me about getting the ball rolling to write my book and share my message of hope to children. Everything the link stated was such a clear confirmation to me, a "God-wink" if you will to START writing!
Finally, I looked up bird's nest and eggs symbolism and found bird's nests to represent: "Prosperous endeavor" and "Fortune and new opportunities." Perfect! I thought... Eggs proved to be a logical symbol of fertility and birth, as well as "Life's potential" and "Dormant talent." While making dinner that evening, I pondered the day's synchronistic events knowing that nothing in this world happens by accident and fully realizing that Paul was with me, my angels were with me, and again, Spirit gave me plenty of signs that I am indeed living a life of purpose!
***UPDATE!!!- Since this story was posted, I have corresponded with Paul's wife, Lorraine and she informed me that "Despite Paul's many allergies, he used to love the smell of Honeysuckle growing outside the window of our home." There's NO DOUBT in my mind that this entire day I have written about, from the moment I received Lorraine's card honoring Paul, to finding the bird's nest with 9 eggs in it, to hearing Paul's favorite singer, Bob Seger on the radio, to smelling honeysuckle in my car- having ALL of these events take place on the same afternoon, that Paul was... like Bob Seger used to sing, "accompanying me!!!"
***UPDATE!!!- Since this story was posted, I have corresponded with Paul's wife, Lorraine and she informed me that "Despite Paul's many allergies, he used to love the smell of Honeysuckle growing outside the window of our home." There's NO DOUBT in my mind that this entire day I have written about, from the moment I received Lorraine's card honoring Paul, to finding the bird's nest with 9 eggs in it, to hearing Paul's favorite singer, Bob Seger on the radio, to smelling honeysuckle in my car- having ALL of these events take place on the same afternoon, that Paul was... like Bob Seger used to sing, "accompanying me!!!"
