My closest and dearest friend Maria passed away on February 1, 2010. Just nine days earlier, she had celebrated her 49th birthday. It was so sudden, so unexpected, and so brutally heartbreaking. Maria and I hadn’t seen each other in more than 18 years since I moved to the West Coast. She had remained back East. We lost touch for a few of those years, but the love, the bond, that we shared had never gone away. We were both so delighted when we reconnected with each other a few years ago. It was my birthday, and I received a call from her. It was the best present I could have gotten.
It’s funny because when we first met, I didn’t think I was going to like her. She was friends with my cousin, and her parents had invited my mom and I to go to their vacation house in Upstate New York. I told my mother about the reservations I had about going once I heard that Maria was going to be there as well. But, as Maria always loved to say, we met that weekend and “that was it … we fell in love with each other.” We had so many adventures together, and she’d tell people we were always getting into trouble and that when “one lies, the other one swears.”
When I heard the news that she died, I couldn’t process the information. It was through an email, and as I sat at my computer and began reading it, I only saw bits and pieces, a word here and there. My mind did not want to grasp what it was seeing. But once it did, I felt like a part of me had died along with her.
On the evening of February 22, a Monday, I was on Facebook. A couple of days prior to that, I kept thinking, “February 22nd, February 22nd — what’s happening on February 22nd? Is that date significant? Why?” For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why I was obsessing over that date.
As I was checking my notifications, I saw that the first one on the list stated that I had just received a gift, and I needed to click on it in order to unlock the gift or to send one back. Once I did that, I was redirected to a new page and was greeted by a picture of a cute cartoon creature holding a coffee mug in each hand, and beneath it in large letters was the word “HUGS.”
Now these applications could be very annoying at times because they won’t allow you to see who the gift sender is until you’ve sent a specific number of the same gift to your friends. My curiosity got the best of me, so of course that’s what I did. When I was finally able to click on the received tab to see who my “HUGS” was from, I was in complete shock. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The sender was revealed, and it was Maria! Right there in front of my eyes was her name and smiling face. I can’t even begin to tell you all of the emotions that washed over me, all the thoughts that were running through my mind. But the one thing I can tell you is that I immediately knew that Maria had somehow made contact with me.
Shortly after her death, I called CP several times and spoke with Miss Krystal, Gina Rose, Seha and Red. I needed comfort, and I needed to know if Maria knew how much I loved and missed her. I also wanted to know if she was around me. They very lovingly provided the comfort and reassurances that I was seeking, and for that I’m truly grateful. They also told me that within a few weeks Maria would be contacting me, and she did! Miss Krystal went a little further to say that Maria would eventually become one of my guides.
But this story gets even better. My family was wondering why I was so excited (they probably thought it had something to do with Farmville …I admit it, I’m hooked). We sat in the living room and I told them about the “HUGS” from Maria. My son, who was the only one of my children that Maria met (he was 18 months old at the time), looked at me and asked, “What did you just say? You’re kidding, right?” I asked him why he would say that. He said that earlier that day, he was in him room playing a song on his keyboard. As he was standing next to it, a thought suddenly entered his mind — that I was going to get something on Facebook from Maria, a notification. He knew that I wouldn’t know at first that it was from her, but that I would open it and see that it WAS in fact from her. He also knew that it was going to be a gift of some kind. He thought it was a little odd, but he had no desire to tell me at that point. It was as if he wasn’t supposed to tell me because it was a surprise. When he told me this, I cried.
Here’s a thought . . . Those of you here on the blog that know me are well aware of the fact that I always sign off with the word “hugs.” The gift I received from Maria said, “HUGS.” As so many here like to remind us, there are no coincidences in life. I think Maria used her “HUGS” as validation that the message was truly from her. She knew I would put two and two together and make the connection. This was my sign.
My friend is gone, and I miss her terribly, but she will always be with me. That gives me great comfort. I know now that all I need to do is think about her and she’ll be there for me, just as she always was all those years ago. Just like she always will be. I wonder what new adventures await us?
31 thoughts on “Friends Forever…On the Other Side”
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What a beautiful story….so comforting ……so reassuring……..thank you for sharing
Hello dear, sweet Lovely Duckling,
I loved your words, “Friendship…outlast(s) the time we are here.” How true! And just knowing that is a blessing in and of itself!
Glad to see you here. You have been greatly missed. I treasure your friendship, and the friendships of all the amazing women I have met here. Thank you.
Big hugs,
Fran
Hi, Fran…what a sad, encouraging and amazing story! I am so sorry that you lost your best friend. It takes courage to face pain directly, which you have done by sharing it. We can all take a lesson from the grace with which you are handling your loss. You are seeing and teaching the lesson in it.
Friendship is such a blessing because it can outlast the time we are here. Who knows if you were friends before this life, but you will certainly be friends after!!! She is still with you in your heart, and at the times you need her the most she will be with you in spirit.
Know that you have many friends here, too, and our hearts are with you, Dear Fran.
Hugs,
Duckie 🙂
Hi Cubes,
That’s very interesting. Did your daughter ever sleepwalk prior to that? But even if she had, it’s amazing that she would do it on the same evening that your dog passed away, and that she would kiss her dad while sleepwalking. I love this stuff! And I love the stories!
I have a question for anyone who would like to answer: I definitely believe in signs from Spirit. Now, if you’ve been asking for a sign and suddenly something grabs your attention, and you right away think, “wow, this must be my sign!” do you think that it is in fact the sign you’ve been asking for, even if it seems ridiculous? Thanks.
Love you, Cubes!
~Fran
Hey Jen, I am not surprised at all by your message! My deceased parents continually give me messages by certain things such as yellow roses and yellow balloons, neither of which are very common in everyday life. I have also been told by my Mom at her death to NOT have her body embalmed. My sister and my husband and I were in her room with her body at the nursing home when I became ice cold all over and heard her talking to me. I told my sister and she confirmed that my Mom had told her while she was alive, that she did not ever want to be embalmed after having worked in a funeral home for extra money during the war and seeing how it was done! Needless to say, I complied with her wishes! I also have had the telephone jump off the hook onto the floor and in a couple minutes received a call that a good friend had died. I knew it was something like a friend passing on when I saw the phone jumped like that. I just hung up the phone and waited for the call to tell me what had happened.
Another sign for me is if I get a bird in the house, or one flies against my closed window. That always means that a relative has died. I just go ahead and notify everyone in the family that they will find out soon which family member had died.
Hi Fran,
Wow! That’s very deep stuff. You really had a strong bond with her.
I don’t know if you might have read this before because I have mentioned it on a previous blog long age.
The first 4 years of my daughter’s life we lived with my ex-inlaws and my ex had a small white-highland terrier (think that’s what it’s called) Well, when my daughter was about 8 or 9 we were already living elsewhere and the doggie stayed with the inlaws because where we moved it was not aloud. It was about midnight and my ex and I had just gone to bed…about 15 to 20 mins later my daughter went into our room and she was sleep walking and went straight to my ex’s side of the bed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. We both got up and he walked her back to her room. About 2 or 3 in the morning his mother called him and said their doggie had past on… (She had been very sick those last couple of months) Until this day we feel that she (the doggie) said bye to my ex through my daughter.
Interesting…
Love ya too!
Cubes 😀
Jen, that is so incredible. I’m sure the universe was preparing you, but it also seems as though you had some “sense” of things….and your soul knew it. Wow…
Dear Abigail,
Knowing that the spirit lives on is such a peaceful thought, especially when you miss someone so much. It’s fun thinking that in oh, maybe another 50 years or so (ha) she’ll be waiting for me, hopefully with that bottle of Amaretto in one hand and the cake in the other (not to mention the yummy Italian food! Yes, MY heaven will have LOTS of food, and I’ll be SKINNY and never have to worry about another calorie ever again!! LOL!)
Ciao,
Franny
Hi Gina Rose,
Wow…..I had no idea that this is what you deal with on a regular basis. I know that you’re empathic, but I didn’t realize that you FELT so much. Amazing….
I’ve got to try to get in with you one night this week. Just feeling a little blah and want to talk about it (gee, can you guess to whom I’m referring??? ha!)
Glad your weather is finally warming up. Our’s is chilly. It was 45 degrees when I took my daughter to school this morning.
Hope to talk to you soon.
Hugs,
Fran
Too cool! 🙂
Hi Fran. What a sad but warm story about your friendship. I also have 2 of my best friends on the other side. They are part of my guides and ‘talk’ to me & tease me all the time. That’s amazing that your son knew about the message that you would receive.
Best Wishes.
Kelly
This is fantastic! I am not surprised, however.
For those who have enjoyed Fran’s story; however, and have never had a Channeling reading to connect to the other side, please know that there is nothing to fear.
We are never alone. We do not “walk” alone.
If you had a bond with someone who has passed, please know that bond will never go away. One thing I have learned, in this ever changing world, is that there are just some things that will always be the same….And the love that you shared with someone in this lifetime, will carry on into a timeless connection-and that will exist forever. Nobody on this planet can take that away from you. It’s supernatural. Yes, we do have things to look forward to, sometimes we just don’t think about it, until you have had a phenomenal experience just like fran’s. Thanks a million Fran! I am so very happy for you.
Keep the faith.
Blessings,
Miss Krystal
Hi Fran,
Because you & your friend were so strongly connected, in mind, heart and soul,… you were picking up her physical symptoms of distress….you had a premonition but it came to you in a way which was physical/empathic.
( now you know what I go thru and feel as a physical empath)
Blessed Be )O(
Gina Rose ext.9500
Hi Fran. They just tease me about different things that I do or situations in my life. It’s almost like a running commentary, when I’m not blocking it out. I have a tendency to block it out most of the time so that I can concentrate on things like work. I can see them in my mind’s eye right now smirking at me. 🙂
~Kelly
Great story Fran. I do believe we are given signs and little bits of information from those who have passed. I had a similar experience when my dad was ill. And after he had passed something kept nagging at me to check headstones at the cemetary. I dropped what I was doing and drove there. As I looked at my dads headstone, I was reading the dates of birth and death. I then walked to his brothers grave and read the same. The date that my dad closed his eyes and had said his last words to me were the day that his brother had passed many years before. It was his brother that had visited me in a dream as my dad was becoming very ill and he had told me how much he loved me and given me a big HUG. Once I connected that my uncle had in fact given me that little look at when I would lose my dad (even tho I didnt connect until after his passing), I knew then that I do have loved ones that have passed that are always here watching over me. Comforting isnt it?
Love ya girl. Sending more hugs your way.
Fran, the night before my dad died… I was double booked to go to some bars with friends from out of town. But out of no where I started crying hysterically and didn’t know why and ended up staying in. I drank maybe a quarter of a glass of wine and just completely passed out until the next morning when i awoke to the unpleasantness. i talked to someone about it and they said that it was the universe making me rest because i would have to be strong for my family. weird how that stuff happens huh.
Thanks Cubes!
It was so sudden and out-of-the-blue, and so cool! One thing I forgot to mention….the night before she passed, I was lying down in bed and I had shortness of breath, and I felt like there was a board on my chest and someone was piling bricks on top of it. Maria died of a heart attack. When I spoke to Gina Rose, she said that had been a premonition. Spooky, huh?
LOVE YOU!!
((Hugs))
Fran
Thanks, Fran! I think you really inspired a lot of people today.
😉
I am always here for you.
hugs,
Miss Krystal
It’s comforting to know only the physical body dies but the spirit lives on…You will continue to get little messages from her and the same goes for Jen. I get them when I need them most and its wonderful.
Many Blessings
~Abigail~
In this cyber age of technology and cell phones its just amazing how many times people who are truly connected in their hearts and souls somehow manage to connect with each other for Real…. with the help of some technology. Beautiful Story. Loved it. I guess Love truly is Eternal 😉
🙂 xoxoxoxo
Hello Beautiful Believer!
I’m so glad my story touched you in such a warm way. Just think of it as a personal hug from me to you!
(p.s. — what’s up with this frigid wind today??? Brrrr!!!)
Big Hugs,
Fran
Hi Kell,
How awesome that your two friends are part of your Spiritual Team! I’d like to hear more about how they “tease” you….sounds like a fun story!
You know, my son is going to be 20 this month. He had no reason to make stuff up. It’s just incredible that she would let him know that she was around. He’s always been sensitive to the spirit world, and yeah, who knows what the future has in store for him? (Just think of all the money I’d save! LOLOLOL!!!)
Hugs, Fran
sick of hearing from you?! never!
Hi Miss Krystal,
When I called you that day, your words and your caring were such a comfort to me. For that I am eternally (no pun intended) grateful. We’ll have to talk again soon and see how much farther this will progress.
Big Hugs,
Franny
My lovely browneyes,
Thank you for sharing that great story about your dad and uncle here! Isn’t it amazing how they find ways to get a message across? I have a few stories along these lines, but I think Jen might get sick and tired of hearing from me!! LOL!
Love you right back, girl!
Big Hugs,
Fran
Hi Jai Krishna,
I’m glad you enjoyed my story. And thank you for reminding us that love really does live on, and as long as I hold on tight to my wonderful memories, it will last forever.
Hugs,
Fran
Great story Fran!
I’m so glad that Maria has contacted you and now you will always have her by your side.
Happy for you!
Hugs to you!
Cubes 😀
Hi Jai Krishna,
You are correct….Love is eternal
…love is thought…..thought is energy….as such love/energy does travel on forever.
Blessed Be )O(
Gina Rose ext.9500
Dearest Fran,
What a lovely story!! I had goose bumps the whole time I read it. That is so amazing that Maria contacted you and sent you “hugs” via Facebook of all things !!!! It’s a great reminder to us all not to under estimate the power of those on the other side. I do believe that Maria will be with you ALWAYS….what a blessing.
And, it sounds like you have a very gifted son there, maybe some day we will be seeing him on CP 🙂
Sending warm “hugs” your way!
Your Blog Friend,
Believer