I went to Nia, a dance exercise class Saturday morning. Afterwards, as I neared the house, I saw a dove sitting in the street. I slowed giving it time to fly away. The dove triggered a memory regarding the passing of my sweet girl, Lady Ginger Lee. We took her to the veterinarian’s the day before our 26th wedding anniversary in July of 2007. We couldn’t let her suffer anymore.
Lady Ginger Lee
It was a painful time for us. I missed her terribly. She was my baby. I couldn’t talk to anyone because I would start crying. It was August and I was still crying. The latest Harry Potter came out and I was reading it so I wouldn’t cry anymore. It helped.
However, I had made a promise to help check in art work for the Ventura County Fair that day and I needed to leave. I kept taking deep breaths. I finally got up, put the book down and went out to the car. I sat there for a moment as tears welled up once more. I took another breath, did a pep talk and gathered myself together. I took the sunshade down and that’s when it happened.
As I sat there gazing out the front windshield, I saw a very light colored dove approach the car. The dove looked almost white, wings out, tail feathers spread. It headed right for the lower windshield, swooped up the windshield and over the car. I felt it circle around and it repeated the exact same pattern. I wouldn’t have thought anything if it happened once but it happened twice the exact same way. I had to pay attention. I see the dove as a symbol of peace.
I sat there stunned, knowing that this was important but not knowing why. I felt like it was a message
Messenger from Ginger?
from Ginger. I know this sounds crazy but that’s how I felt, like she was telling me to be at peace. I decided to let it go until I got back from the fairgrounds. I spoke with a friend who knew and loved Ginger and she, too, felt it was Ginger letting me know she was fine.
There were more incidents with doves I’d like to share with you another time, both related to passings. For now, I’d like to ask you if anything like this has ever happened to you? What did you think at the time? Did it provide you with some grieving support?
Beautiful comforting message from Ginger, Julieanne. WHen I was grieving for our little companion, Sparky, this past April, I was sitting working at my computer, when I felt his little body (he was a Maltese) come and press against my leg. I leaned over and stroked the air and I could almost feel the silkiness of his hair and the warm pressure as he leaned on me. I am not particularly “woo woo”, but I absolutely felt his spirit as a physical presence. Thank you for reminding me of the magic hidden in our world.
I totally understand what you experienced. I sensed my two girls one night and talked to them out loud and just said “Ok, so others will think I’m crazy but I don’t care”. I told them both to get on the bed. In the middle of the night I woke up because I needed to use the bathroom. However, I smelled my girls! I said “I’m not getting up. I’m not breaking this spell’. Went back to sleep and woke up later for the same reason. But I smelled them again and refused to break the spell. I slept till the next morning believing and knowing I was sleeping with them one more time. The next morning when I awoke the smell was gone and I got up. That memory is bright and bold for me. It’s so cool, isn’t it?
Thank you for sharing your experience! I love it!
What a beautiful story, and definitely a connection with your Ginger! It is interesting to read this today, as I have been writing a blog about a story of my own involving grief and synchonicity (though no doves). I think when we can open ourselves to grief and let the feelings having their space, we are perhaps more open to the signs and symbols the world sends our way.
Thank you for sharing such a touching story.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
You’re welcome. I have more stories along these lines, one in particular that happened as Ginger was on her way out. That one involves a butterfly. I’ve written it down but I need to do the polishing. Then I have a couple more dove stores. I don’t grieve anymore. I can’t change things, she is gone. I was so upset for months because she only made it to 10 years. It was because of her and Chelsea that my hubby started his wheat, corn and soy free dog treat business. The toxins our pets are subjected too is just amazing. So we wanted to give people another option.
I’m glad you loved the story! Hugs to you.
It’s a lovely story and while I’ve heard other similar stories over the years, I’ve never had anything like that happen to me. I’ve lost cherished pets and both my parents. But nothing like that has happened. I’m glad it helped to bring you peace when you needed it.
Susan Berland
A Picture’s Worth
http://www.susan-berland.com
It could be that they did happen and you just didn’t see it or hear it or maybe you weren’t open to it then. Ginger and I did have a special bond. I learned a lot from her. She was smart, sweet, funny. I loved watching her open presents! She was hysterical!
What a great story. Your posts are always so thoughtful and touching. I personally am not aware of something like this happening to me, but perhaps I didn’t notice it. This story shows the true presence you have in your daily life.
I didn’t always have a true presence in my daily life. Although my Italian family had many stories about connections to those that had passed or seeing ghosts that I heard from the time I was very little. So I always believed it was possible even being in the left brain world I was in. I allowed for that. And I needed it with my dogs. I actually had an experience with my neighbor’s dog after he passed. I had done some energy work on him too. I forgot all about that. I may have to write about that one!
Thanks, Meredith. I do believe that any of us can have this experience if we remain open and just pay attention.
I know the deep feelings of loss and sadness when you lose a pet you love and have bonded with, so your story is a painful reminder of those times. I had one cat in particular since a kitten that stayed with me for over 13 years through many trying times including a divorce, loss of home by fire, robbery, a miscarriage, moving to an apartment, betrayal by a best friend. And she was always right there to comfort me…when I had my miscarriage, she was the one sitting beside me in the middle of the night, not my husband. A long story for another day, but she meant a lot to me and when she got sick from diabetes and I had to have her put to sleep because she was not getting better (even with insulin shots) and I did not want her to suffer, either, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. But one night about a week after she was gone, I was half asleep and I could have sworn I felt the bed move as it did when she jumped up on my bed. I opened my eyes and saw her there and she looked healthy and as if she were telling me that she was alright and not to feel guilty or bad about having her put to sleep. I think it was a dream, or was it? Either way, it gave me such incredible peace and I will never forget her or that incident.
My heavens, Donna, you sure have been through so much! I’m glad you had your cat.
Yes, it is hard to put them down. Gnger had stopped waggin her tail. When we took her in to the vets,we knew we were going to let her go that day. When we put her down on the pillow, she wagged her tail. She knew too and she let us know she was happy to go then. That still makes me cry today remembering that. But you did your cat such a great service in letting her go peacefully as we did with Ginger and later with Chelsea.
Some of the most comforting moments in our lives can come from pets! I remember I was just reading a book about some great dogs that made me cry and Chelsea brought me toy after toy and shoved it into my lap trying to comfort me. It was really blatant pushing. She so wanted me to stop crying. I was so touched by her kindness!
I find it much harder to lose animals than humans. We get such unconditional love from them.
Thanks for sharing so much of your life and self here! I’m glad you got to see one more time too. I believe it was real. I know of many similar stories from other pet lovers. My cousin heard her dogs nails walking on the floor after she was gone. And the fact that it gave you such incredible peace also tells you it was real. You haven’t forgotten it either. All that points to validity! Cherish the memory and the peace from it.
Thank you, Julieanne; I believe, too, that our beloved pets are in Heaven waiting for us!
So very sad to loose a beloved four legged friend. I do not think anything like this has happened to me and we have put two dogs down and one cat so far. Always a gut wrenching experience. We have our pets cremated and keep their ashes in beautiful brass cannisters in my husband’s office. The only strange thing is – my cats curl up and sleep on the same shelf – right next to Wally and Tiger (our dogs) and Speckles (our cat). Maybe it’s pet karma – I’m not sure.
We too had our cremated and they are on the fireplace mantle. I think your cat feels their lovely energy and loves being around it. Or maybe the cat is a reincarnation of one of them? Who knows! Pets bring so much fun, joy, love and silliness into our lives!
Our first dog Maz was killed by a hit and run driver a few years ago. When we brought home the stray kitten we found at the school bus stop some months before, we weren’t sure how Max would be with him. They became the best of friends and it was such fun to watch them play together. Max was a wonderful loving sociable dog. While he was great with Max, Xam (the cat) did not take too well to the rest of us and preferred to not be around the humans.
When we burried Max in our back yard, we all stood around and said some words about what Max had meant to us. During my daughters tear filled dedication, Xam walked right up to us and sat down by the graveside. He did not usually come so close to us. It was as if he knew what was going on. He sat there until we had all spoken and then walked away. After that Xam became a much more sociable cat and enjoyed playing with us like Max used to do.
Julie Labes: The Fun-Loving, Feisty, Fearless, Frisky, Fierce Over 50 Traveler
What an interesting story, Julie! I love it. I think the cat knew that Max would love for it to take over his job when he was gone. That’s just my belief but it feels right.
Thanks for sharing it!
What a warming story Julieanne. I have not experienced anything similar other than being in a worship service where someone said that they saw doves hovering over us). I have witnessed doves released at both weddings and funerals. They supposedly symbolize both peace and a spirit as it is released from the body in ecstasy or in death, right?
Rachel Lavern
Personal Transformation, Enlightenment and Development Coach
“Live without limits because nothing is impossible to you.”
Most religions have special meanings for doves. I do tend to think of them as peace symbols. But I also believe that anything here can be used a message from those that have transitioned, flowers, birds, butterflies, even sounds.
I’ve heard many stories from friends who lost loved ones. Even dreams are a way to communicate.I had an amazing dream about Ginger one week after she passed. I wrote it all down – it was so incredible. My cousin had a dream about her husband after he passed and in it, he gave her a kiss that was so strong and vivid and she woke thinking that he had kissed her goodbye in that dream.
I find it all interesting!
What a tender story…we lost our beloved Bogey over a year ago and still miss his energy. We have only just gotten another dog and while he looks exactly like Bogey, his energy is definitely Cooper. Thanks for sharing your story.
Darcie
Devoted to finding all things delicious.
http://discoveringdelicious.com
You’re very welcome, Darcie. I adore dogs but for some reason, we don’t have one right now. Hubby not ready. But at least he is providing great wheat free dog treats through his website. So we are still involved with dogs! And we get to babysit our granddog!
I’ve had a few encounters myself, and I’ve heard so many similar stories from others. It’s nice to find comfort and support during difficult times such as grief.
Yes, Tanya, it is. I’ve heard many stories and I have a few more to share.
I 100% believe in signs from those passed, whether animal or person. My dog and cat still visit at my mom’s house. When I am missing my Aaron most, I’ll see the car he drove (not a very common car) or a song will come on that reminds me of him… 8 years later. For a while after my father-in-law passed (just days after our wedding), we would see the most unusual and cool bugs. My best friend sees her father in lady bugs. We just need to keep our eyes and our hearts open, and there are signs everywhere to help us feel peace.
I love this, Brenda! Yes, I saw someone so much like my dad about a month after he passed. We had just finished dinner and he walked by our table with his daughter. I looked up and I saw my dad! I burst into tears! My mom uses butterflies to visit.
Oh my gosh, losing my childhood pet of 17 years was devastating! SO sad, I thought I would never get another one…unable to handle the grief. Nothing like that happend when he passed….and here I am again, with my own dog, now 17, knowing its coming soon….not really prepared, again! I do believe in signs from above…and its happened a few times to me..hard to explain….but when my friends mother died, she and I were sleeping at her house the night before the funeral and the light in her moms room went on……we got spooked, laughed, and said that’s her (and it was!)…..and another time as I was driving to NY (and my husband was going to fast) I got nervous..about being on the road….and out of nowhere I felt water on my face (windows closed) and instantly knew it was her….with the holy water, as she had done so many times before to us girls since we were kids! I know it was her…..NO doubt in my mind….almost like she was talking to me!
Wonderful stories! I love hearing these. Yes, they happen. I love the water story. My dad shows up but it’s others who see him and tell me he’s near. I don’t see him but sometimes he’ll answer me in my head. I did learn he only shows up when I need to pay attention to something! How do I know it’s him? He was a deaf mute and his speech is stilted and sharp. And he told a friend of mine too that he only shows up when I need to pay attention!.
Oh this sent chills through me. I am not very big into talking about the woowoo but I do feel my Dad and feel I get signs from him. I was his only daughter and know I held a special place in my heart and I feel he guides me always if I let him. I haven’t had a sign as strong as the dove but any time I go near an intuitive or psychic they see my Dad unmistakenly. I try to tune into that way more these days.
Louise Edington
Breaking Through Online Frontiers
http://louiseedington.com
There is truly nothing to be frightened of. They are gifts from the Universe and you do sense your dad. I take chills to mean that I am hearing the truth. Does that fit for you, @LouiseEdington:disqus ?
I can’t say that I’ve ever experienced a visitation from any of my pets, but I sure do miss many of them. Interesting that I just re-posted a memorial for our bunny, Fluffy today – perhaps I saw your post and it was in my mind… I know my husband dreams of one of our dogs often, maybe that is her visiting him, I can’t say.
I believe that any dream of those who have transitioned is a visit with them. I had an amazing dream of Ginger one week after she passed. It was the first morning I had woken up without crying. I was looking in the mirror and made a comment to myself that I wasn’t crying that morning. Then I remembered that I had this incredible dream. I wrote the whole thing out. It’s somewhere on the computer. I look forward to those dreams. So I’m happy for your husband that he gets to visit with your dog, @184ac9f57ff3818c4e4902be1eb24c2a:disqus
Very beautiful story, and tearful at the same time. It is so sad when our dogs leave for frisbee fields in heaven. It is so hard for others to understand, if they’ve not had that same closeness with a pet. Thanks for sharing.
I find it mostly people who don’t relate to animals that don’t get it. Once you’ve had that bond, you don’t forget. My neighbor and I think that our dogs are at the Rainbow Bridge, where all dogs go to wait for their beloved humans. He says to me that our dogs will be waiting for us with chariots for all that we did for them while they were ill and before.
They are forever in my heart. I know I will see them again. I had a dream with Ginger in a week or so ago. It was good to see her that way too.
I haven’t had these experiences with losing a pet and it has been a while – so sad to lose a pet 🙁 We did lose our cat Milo for 5 days after he ran under my car. It was a terrible experience. I felt like the walking dead during that time and having to explain to my daughter that he was likely gone for good and that it was my fault. At the end of 5 days he showed up at the back door. It was like a personal revival and somehow he was perfectly fine with no broken bones and no internal injuries. So we got out cat back and now he doesn’t run under the car… 🙂 Brandy
That’s an amazing story. And your cat still has 8 lives left! They are so resilient! Give Milo an extra hug or treat today, whichever he prefers!
I know that feeling. It’s wretched. I felt that I didn’t have a tighter enclosure for my little escape artist! Mine wasn’t an accident – more a missing! I had two smaller dogs and one loved to dig his way out of the yard. One time he got picked up by the pound on a Friday and I spent a frantic weekend. His sister followed him rather than let him leave alone so they were both gone. They were never separated. I showed up at the pound on Monday and I heard Danielle immediately barking. I said I hope you didn’t separate them but they had. I said my dogs are here. Pound guy says you don’t know that. I said but I do. I can hear Danielle and if she’s here so is Demi. I got them and I was so mad too. Demi was carrying on in the back seat like he was making excuses or whatever! I told “I don’t even want to hear it! You’re the one that escaped and your sister followed. Don’t you dare complain to me about your miserable weekend!”. What a pair they were!
Its amazing the bond one can have with their animals and it has always been dogs with me. I truly have a special place in my heart for all animals but I guess I am partial to my dogs. They love so unconditionally and are so in tune with who we are. When I was young my father passed and he had a hunting dog, Irish setter, that was his buddy, when my father passed his dog made his transition a few days latter. I also had a golden retriever that ran away when I went to collage, this was the pet I got just after my father passed, I was young but it still hurt so bad. I finally got the nerve to get a family dog 5 years ago, Bear the Golden retriever same as the one that left when I left him. I love animals thank you for this post.
You are so welcome. Nothing can break a heart like losing a pet but nohting cures the heart better than another furry being that loves you so unconditionally. There is a reason that dog is God spelled backwards. Dogs are his best representation on earth.
Julieanne,
I have been thinking a lot about love lately as a prepare for a speech I am giving on love, healing and transformation. I believe and have experienced how love and connection to people or animals is never lost, it is transformed. I see your encounter with the dove as a clear sign that GInger’s love will always be with you!
Blessings of health,
chris arcucci
Who says a woman can’t cultivate her super powers in a dress?!
http://www.MindfulLivingArts.com
Thank you, Chris. I think that the unconditional love received from dogs is very healing. Love can heal everything. Love is very transformational. The love from my husband healed me in so many ways. Love opens the doors to your soul.
Hi Julieanne,
Thanks for this touching story, and for all the heartfelt comments of support you’re gathering. I’ve never had a relationship with a dog, so I don’t know what I’m missing here, but a feral cat moved in with us for about 14 years, and died maybe 4 years ago. Deep grieving. No doves or other special signs, but it was reassuring somehow to feel the emptiness in my affection as I lost a special friend.
Robbie
Robbie, you had the relationship with a cat and to have one with a feral cat is very unusual. You have experienced. Some feel it with birds, hamsters, geckos, minature pigs! Animals don’t make judgments! And you felt the emptiness and you grieved for the cat. You get it! It doesn’t have to be a dog. You may have gotten a signal and not seen it too. Thanks for sharing, Robbie!