Spirits Walk Among Us

Introduction
On a street corner
Waiting for the light to change
Joseph cups my hand

When we met, I was a very young, twenty-seven—ingenuous, fragile, unsure of myself and the world. Joseph was forty-seven. He was strong, self-aware, and confident. He knew so much I hadn’t yet learned. Although I loved him, I felt inadequate and weak. I feared he would swallow me, and I would pale and dissolve into his shadow.
“Please, Joseph, be gentle with me; I fear I’ll get lost in your strength.”
He asked for no explanation, no elaboration, no concrete examples. He simply smiled knowingly as he gazed down at me with the tenderness I sought.
The foundation for a remarkable relationship was being set.
When you marry—or live with someone—your life changes. Gone are the days of solitude, as a whole new life takes shape. There’s something so natural, so right about two people in love, feeling as one.
My life with Joseph was unequivocally perfect. In absolute harmony, we learned about each other, embraced the world, and grew closer together. It was comfortable. I felt safe and loved. At night, he would reach over to my side of the bed, making sure of me. It was a dream come true. We had reached the pinnacle of happiness.
Thirty-eight years after coming together, Joseph died. Consumed by an overwhelming sense of aloneness and struggling with profound grief made it nearly impossible for me to persevere. I reached for him in bed at night, knowing full well I wouldn’t find him there. My mind in a haze, tears streaming from my eyes, I was faced with unwelcome change.
Joseph came to me in visions; he showed me the afterlife, shared cherished memories, sent me signs of love. Seeing Joseph in dreams, feeling him close by, afforded me the contentment and security that I thought I had lost. With romance and nostalgia, Joseph helped me relive precious moments and accept the loss. From the afterlife, he provided me with the necessary skills to move on.
My perspective on life began to change after my spiritual awakening. Having seen Joseph alive in visions, I knew a world other than mine existed, and I felt the interconnectedness between them.
Thinking back to our beginnings, I understood I needn’t have feared Joseph’s strength. He never used it against me. In fact, he used it on my behalf. I had been strengthened by his strength, not weakened by it. I had grown because of it. It now lives within me. It has become a part of who I am.
Every stage of life is filled with change. Some are brought about by fate. Many are unwelcome. Those that are tragic may seem overwhelming. Spirits Walk Among Us
depicts the changes I encountered, the challenges they brought about, how I was able to face them and move forward.
I was fortunate. Joseph knew me. He understood my character and my essence. He was sympathetic to my needs and offered help from the spirit world. He showed me how to let go of what was, accept what is, and pattern a new life. I’m certain he’s smiling as he looks at me from across the veil. With his help and support, and the support of so many others, I’ve regained a sense of who I am and have begun to follow a new path in life.
Chapter 1
A Visit, Short and Sweet
The scent of jasmine
My hand in yours
A rainbow of dreams

Roused, but not entirely awakened, by the sweet smell of jasmine, I knew that Joseph was with me. A deviation from the scent of gardenias Joseph customarily sent, the scent of jasmine—another symbol of love— was a pleasant surprise; it intrigued and bedazzled me.
Within minutes, I felt his hand clasp mine. Lying on my right side, sprawled in the middle of the queen-size bed, my left arm extended behind me, I couldn’t see Joseph’s face. Although I knew his tender touch, and delighted in his presence, I drew upon firsthand experiences, and dared not turn toward him. For if I did, I’d surely lose him to the night.
Comforted by his spirit, I remained as still as time had when we lived together. Nothing else in the world mattered; nothing but us and the love we shared. I had no idea how long we lay there before Joseph released my hand, and the scent of jasmine dissipated.
A chill filled the air. Joseph was gone.
Behind closed eyes, a slideshow of rainbows began. Magnificent, hypnotic rainbows, bright rainbows, double rainbows, fading rainbows, barely visible. I always loved rainbows. Awed, I marveled at their beauty; I felt their magic.
Is Joseph merely acknowledging my fascination of rainbows? Is he sending these colorful arcs that stretch from his world to mine to remind me he’s here for me and to encourage me to continue along my path of spiritual enlightenment?
In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rainbows might signify a calm after the storm. Is Joseph sending promises, or are they merely illusory hopes?
The experiences dispelled my fears, unhappiness, and negativity and left me with a tingle of excitement and anticipation for what was yet to come.
Thank you, sweetheart, for the unconditional love you bestow upon me and for guiding me through these uncertain times. The sun is sure to shine today.