A Message From Beyond?
Do the dead speak to us from time to time?
Maybe not so much in words, though that’s been known to happen. Sometimes they communicate with us in dreams, or in a strange happenstance.
I know it’s easy to dismiss those instances as coincidence or an unconscious longing to know that a loved one is not only ok, but nearby.
It’s coming up on 3 years since my father passed away. He went in to have a kidney stone blasted, a simple procedure, and 36 hours later, he was gone. It was devastating.
I’ve literally not purged my phone of pictures since 2013, so a few weeks ago, I decided it was long past due. I wanted to download all of my pics (graduations, vacations, holidays and just goofing around) and save them to my computer and a backup drive.
You all know how that works. It’s real simple. You connect your phone to your computer, select all, and presto, they’re off the phone in one fell swoop.
When it was done, I was relieved, because I was really worried about losing those captured memories. I unplugged the USB cable with a feeling of satisfaction. The old man had conquered modern technology.
I went to my Camera icon on my phone just to bask in the afterglow of a job well done, which in this case would be zero picture files.
I quickly discovered one solitary picture had refused to move on.
It was the last picture taken of my father.
He’d just had the outside of the house redone and was very happy with the results. Super Storm Sandy had done a number on it, and the whole structure had to be resided. We were in the yard and I snapped a pic of the house. My father just happened to be standing by the grill, looking off somewhere to my left. Now, I know it looks like he’s not happy, but that was his ‘I’m conentrating’ or ‘the sun is too damn bright’ look.
And there he still is, in my phone, in a sense, with me at all times, since my phone is practically attached to me.
There is no logical reason why that picture didn’t transfer over. Select All means you select all, not all minus one.
I’ve been doing a lot of flying lately – something I hate and dread – and I guess he wanted to make sure he was there with me. Or maybe he just wants to collect some frequent flier miles. But there he is.
I hope he enjoys the flight from New Orleans later today.
Hunter Shea 
I really miss him too. Your parents were always very good to me.
Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S® 5
You were (and still are) their second son.
A great post, Hunter. That’s a beautiful way of looking at your father’s want to stay close to you after passing. I hope you both enjoyed New Orleans!
We did (though we stayed away from Bourbon Street).
Awww dude I miss my dad to
Thanks Ann.
Very, very cool. Everything happens for a reason. Glad your dad found a way to say “Hello!”
He sure did. Not the first time something strange has happened around him since his passing. He knew my interests and openness when he was alive. I like to think he’s using that to let me know he’s still very much here.
I’m not at all convinced that science will ever provide a full and accurate account of reality, mostly because reason is not the only way to interact with our experience. Reason and logic have no way of explaining why one out of many photos got “stuck” on your phone. It is your Dad, his love for you, and your receptiveness to communication between the planes that allowed for this message.
Speaking of planes, I wish you a smooth landing to & from New Orleans!
-aniko
Thanks Aniko. I prefer your explanation to anything science might dream up. I truly believe we’re not meant to know everything. Sometimes, faith is all you need.
I love this. A good story, simply and beautifully told. I’m really glad for you.
Thank you so much, Renae. I made sure I pulled his picture up all throughout my trip to New Orleans. He’d never been there in life, but he got a little NOLA flavor now. 🙂