A Visitation from My Friend

by Megan R. Bartlett

On 5/5/25, my best friend, Paul, died from brain cancer. Since his death, I’ve felt his presence in new ways: a blinking light, the numbers 11:11 and 222, the appearance of butterflies and cardinals, and in dreams. One dream I had on the morning of the Epiphany (which is celebrated in many Christian churches on January 6th and comes from the Greek word “epiphaneia” which means appearance or manifestation) often comes back to mind and offers me comfort.

I won’t share all the details of what was an apocalyptic dream, but at a moment in the dream when I thought all hope was lost for me and my community, I turned around and Paul was there — translucent and smiling. He was dressed in cream colored pants, a dark purple tie dye t-shirt, and a long sleeve cream colored button down shirt over it, open at the front. Not unlike this photo I took of him in Chester two years ago. 

He was standing still, near a pine tree and had both hands in his pockets and brown flip flops on (which has later made me laugh since he was so often barefoot in real life). I knew somehow in the dream that this was a visitation from him from Beyond (that he was a ghost, if you will), but I gasped and said, “You came back to me!” as I ran to him and jumped into his arms. Even though he was a ghost, he was solid and caught me and hugged me and said with deep warmth and care, “I’m here”. I didn’t have time to savor this. My body woke me up at just that moment and my mind insisted I write down his words: “I’m here.” As I woke up more, I realized that he didn’t say, “Yes, I’m back!” in response to my “You came back to me!” but calmly said, “I’m here.” It was as if I was meant to realize that he never left. He has been and is currently and will be forever HERE.

I’m still quite often sad and feel the absence of his embodied self, but I can often close my eyes and hear him say, “I’m here." I’m grateful for the memory of this visitation.

* Megan R. Bartlett is a ’95 BASH alum who now lives in the Philadelphia area. She is a licensed professional counselor and certified spiritual director who enjoys crafting, writing, and communing with Nature, especially her beloved cats.

Editor's note: 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? You need not prove that what happened was supernatural or convince anyone else that it was. 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.

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