EXTRAORDINARY NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE

Here’s an extraordinary account of a near-death experience that I felt compelled to share with you. It’s taken from The Map Of Heaven – Neurosurgeon Dr Eben Alexander’s brilliant book exploring the mysteries of the afterlife.

He tells of John, a war veteran’s son who believes he went with his father on the first leg of his journey into heaven.  His dad, an ex-prisoner of war, was fighting for life in his hospice bed after suffering a massive pulmonary embolism.

John was kneeling at the bedside, holding his father’s hand, when he was suddenly thrown into another – very vivid - dimension.  He was airborne, looking down at a rapid stream that flowed over rocks. His dad was in the water, clinging to a rock in a struggle to survive, when a golden glow like a celestial spotlight began spreading across the surface. Within the light, a white canoe with a red paddle appeared, floating on the rushing water.

Shouting excitedly, his father began swimming strongly for the canoe. No longer a sick old man, suddenly he was a youthful athlete. As he leapt into the canoe, John felt himself race down to ride behind his dad’s shoulder.

Then his father turned, giving him a look of love and joy such as he had never seen on his face before. Without warning, John was high in the sky again, watching the white canoe race towards a jetty where dozens of people were waiting and cheering.

He recognised them all – family, friends and war buddies of his dad’s. As the canoe docked, he saw his father stand up, raising the paddle in a salute, smiling and almost beside himself with delight. Then he leapt ashore and was caught up in a huddle of embraces and hugs.

Simultaneously, John found that he was back at the bedside and that his father’s heart had stopped.

John wrote to Dr Alexander saying: “This experience was transformative – a gift from my dad I could not repay. I can actually feel myself glowing when I tell this story!” 

How about you? Have you an extraordinary near-death experience you'd like to share with us all? If so, I'd love to hear from you!

ANGEL MESSAGES FOR (AND FROM) A DOG

Have you ever received angel messages from a dog? A beautiful story from a lady in Ramsgate, Kent, was reported in my newspaper the other day.

Marian told how, some years ago, after her invalid mother came to live with her, Diamond – Marian’s Samoyed dog – and the elderly lady became devoted to each other. Then, in 2007, Diamond (most unusually) started refusing to go for walks. She just went into the garden and returned to lie near Marian’s Mum all day.

Several weeks later ‘Mum’ took a turn for the worse, dying that July. The morning after her death, Diamond was at the door expressing her readiness (for the first time in months) to go for a walk. When Marian opened the door, she saw a white feather on the step.

Then, at the garden gate, a glorious red butterfly landed on Diamond’s head – between her ears – and stayed there for the whole hour-long walk, only flying away when they reached the gate again.

This spring a white feather appeared on the pavement every time Marian took Diamond for a walk – and a few weeks later the dog fell ill with a liver problem. As her health worsened further white feathers appeared, often landing on Diamond during walks. Marian knew her Mum was sending her a sign that Diamond wasn’t long for this world. She drew comfort from her mother’s nearness.

As Diamond died, at home, another white feather arrived, landing beside her. The next day was the seventh anniversary of the old lady’s death.

The following morning, when Marian went into the garden, she saw a white feather in the very spot where Diamond liked to lie. As she stood crying, a butterfly landed on her arm, staying for 15 minutes. It was comforting to think that her Mum and Diamond, now together again, were watching over her.

Marian now has a Samoyed puppy, Crystal – born four hours after Diamond died. On the morning she went to collect her – yes, there was a feather on her doorstep!

I'D PICK MORE DAISIES

Here's a rather special poem - I'd Pick More Daisies - I'd like to share with you. It was written by Nadine Stair, aged 87, shortly before she died:

If I had my life to live over, I'd try to make more mistakes next time.

I would relax. I would limber up.

I would be sillier than I have been this trip.

I would be crazier. I would be less hygienic.

I would take more chances.

I would take more trips.

I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets ...

I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I am one of those people who lives sanely and sensibly

hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I have had my moments and if I had to do it all over again,

I'd have more of them.

In fact I'd try to have nothing else.

Just moments, one after another,

instead of living so many years ahead each day.

I have been one of those people who never goes anywhere

without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute.

If I had to do over again, I would go places and do things 

and travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over

I would start bare-footed earlier in the spring

and stay that way later in the autumn.

I would play hooky more.

I wouldn't make such good grades except by accident.

I would ride on more merry-go-rounds.

I'd pick more daisies.

ANOTHER ANGEL MESSAGE

Here's another angel message, following on from the one in my last post about Gloria Hunniford and her daughter Caron Keating ...

The tale is told by a man (Colin) in Watford, Herts, who states in today's Daily Mail that he thought it ridiculous when he first read - many years ago - of Gloria's belief about angels leaving white feathers when they visited.

But then his father died. Thirteen hours after the death, Colin's Jack Russell came in from the garden and dropped a small white feather at his feet. His dog was three years old and had averaged ten trips daily in and out of the garden - roughly 10,000 of them - over her 3 years of life. But she had never brought anything into the house before and never did again!

Difficult to disagree that this was another angel message, don't you think?