I have spoken to many bereaved people over the years, but it is only since my husband Patrick died, and I found myself immersed in grief, that I have come close to having honest and deep conversations about death. When I started to receive signs from Patrick, I kept it quiet at first, because I needed to be sure, and because it seemed such a private and intimate thing. I also thought that people would think I was imagining stuff, or had lost my mind in grief. So I only told a very few close friends what was happening. But the signs continued, I became more confident in the truth of it, and I started to research paranormal phenomena and signs from the afterlife. I discovered that there is a huge amount of evidence out there in the literature, evidence which materialists completely ignore or dismiss out of hand. The book that I read first, and which I found totally persuasive because it was so carefully researched and balanced, was Surviving Death by Leslie Kean. This book validated my own experiences and I would recommend it as an introduction to the whole thorny question of life after death.
In time, I started to gently bring up the question of signs when I was talking to someone who had lost a loved one. I was amazed at the response. Nearly everyone welcomed my very casual question with relief and enthusiasm. Most people had never told anyone – for fear of seeming mad – but were thrilled to share their stories with me. SF told me about a strange bird that came right up to her kitchen window and looked in at her , hovering and staring at her for minutes at a time. This happened for three days. SF is keen on birds and when she didn’t recognise what type of bird it was, she fetched her bird book. She searched very carefully but could find no bird at all that fitted the description. Other strange things happened as well – the garden chairs were moved round to face the sun, and a mustard spoon disappeared from the cruet set on the table, never to be found.
She also reports that a few days after her husband died, the health visitor came round and asked if she had had “her connection” yet? Questioned, she said that those who had passed on generally tried to connect back to their dear ones. I thought that for a professional to say that quite openly was impressive!
Another friend told me about robins. A robin haunted her in the days and weeks after her twin sister died, even perching on the wing mirror of her car when she got into it to drive somewhere. She is convinced that it was her twin, trying to make contact and assure her that life continues after death.
In my book, WhatsApps from Heaven I have detailed all the signs that I received in the two years after my husband died. I have not had so many recently, but I still feel his presence around me, and I suspect that he doesn’t need to send physical signs anymore, signs which must be very difficult and challenging for him, because he knows that I know he’s still around. It’s hugely consoling. I would welcome hearing about signs that people have had – contact me on my website – louisehamlin.co.uk. It’s time that it was generally acknowledged by scientists and society as a whole that our spirits continue to exist after physical death.
