More Than a Feeling

Marv’s granddaughter found him on the floor asking Siri about the symptoms of a heart attack. She called her mother who then called an ambulance. After an angiogram and two stents, Marv felt great. Two weeks later, he told me about it over Thai food. 

Being who I am, and doing what I do, I asked, “Did you have any experiences?”

He hadn’t been unconscious or defibrillated or particularly close to death, but he knew immediately what I was asking. His eyes widened. “Well, actually, I did,” he said.

Photo by Marius Venter from Pexels.

Cancer had stolen Marv’s wife several years earlier. He missed Joan deeply and often. Sometimes, he wanted to join her. When his cardiologist told him surgery might be in his future, Marv thought, ‘Maybe this is my ticket.’

At that instant, he felt a flash of Joan at his side. Her message was immediate and clear: “It’s not your time. The kids are grown, but they still need you.” Then she was gone. Marv shrugged as he shared his experience, uncertain of its reality or significance.

“Don’t minimize it,” I said.

Spiritual experiences can evaporate if we get too distracted or minimize them. A few weeks later, Marv thanked me and told me how much he’d come to appreciate Joan’s visit. I thanked him, in turn, for sharing.

Your brushes with eternity are not just feelings; they’re real. Own them.