Have You Ever Heard From Someone Who Has Passed?

As Halloween approaches, The Boyertown Area Expression is inviting readers to share personal experiences that have left them wondering: Could someone who has passed away still find a way to communicate with us?

Maybe it happened in the middle of the night.

Maybe you smelled a familiar perfume, heard a voice, felt a presence, noticed a light flicker at just the right moment, or dreamed about someone who has passed away — and the dream seemed somehow different from an ordinary dream. Maybe you have communicated with a spirit through a psychic medium?

Or perhaps something happened that was more subtle: You were thinking about someone you loved, and suddenly a song you associated with that person began playing. You received an unexpected phone call at precisely the moment you were thinking about them. You found an object in a place where it shouldn't have been. Or you simply had an overwhelming feeling that someone who was no longer physically here was, in some way, still with you.

Did You Wonder If It Was a Message?

Halloween seems like the perfect time to ask.

The holiday has its roots, in part, in All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day. Throughout history, traditions surrounding this time of year have included the idea that the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead could become less distinct. Different cultures have developed their own traditions, stories and beliefs about remembering the dead and the possibility of encounters with spirits.

Today, of course, Halloween is often associated with costumes, candy and playful scares. But the season can also remind us of something much more personal: the people we have loved and lost — and the ways in which they sometimes seem to remain part of our lives.

We Want to Hear Your Story

The Boyertown Area Expression is looking for your personal experiences.

We're not asking you to prove that what happened was supernatural. And we're not asking you to convince anyone else that it was.

Maybe you're certain that a loved one reached out to you.

Maybe you're a skeptic who still can't explain something that happened.

Maybe you aren't sure what you believe — you just know what you experienced.

That's What Makes These Stories Interesting.

Your story doesn't have to be frightening. In fact, some of the most memorable experiences involving those who have passed away are comforting, funny, surprising or even ordinary.

And you don't have to consider yourself a writer to participate. Just tell us what happened.

A Simple Formula for Telling Your Story

If you're not sure where to begin, try thinking of your story as a conversation with a friend. You don't need to make it dramatic. Simply tell us what you remember.

These questions may help:

Who was involved? Who had passed away? What was your relationship with that person?

When and where did you feel that this person was trying to communicate with you? Tell us approximately when the experience occurred and where you were.

What happened? Describe the experience as specifically as you can. What did you see, hear, smell, feel or otherwise notice?

What made it unusual? Was there something about the experience that made you think it might have been more than coincidence?

What did you think at the time? Were you frightened? Comforted? Confused? Skeptical? Did you immediately think of the person who had died?

Did anything happen afterward? Did you discover something that seemed to confirm your suspicions? Did you tell anyone? Did something similar happen again?

What do you believe now? Perhaps you've always believed it was communication from the person who died. Perhaps you're still undecided. Perhaps you have a completely different explanation today.

Tell Us What You Experienced

Length doesn’t matter. The important thing is that the story is your own experience, told in your own words. And remember: You don't need an explanation. Sometimes the most intriguing stories begin with “I can't explain it.”

If you've ever had an experience that made you wonder whether someone who had passed away was trying to communicate with you, we'd like to hear about it.

Send your story to The Boyertown Area Expression for possible publication: Leslemisko@aol.com OR JaneEStahl@comcast.net.

Have a great story, but don’t like to write?

Contact us at the emails above and include an email address and phone number. We will get back to you and try to record your story for publication.

Who knows? Your story might remind someone else of an experience they've never told anyone about. More importantly, perhaps sharing these stories will bring comfort in knowing that those we love are with us in one way or another.

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