Had just returned from husband's burial, everyone had left and I was alone in the kitchen cleaning dishes...when I am troubled I often work in the kitchen as it relieves stress. Then, I was no longer in the kitchen but was in a wooded area with my husband, I was sitting on a rock, he was standing slightly in front of me with his foot resting beside me on the rock and he was pointing facts off on his fingers, after each statement he'd say "now do you understand what I am telling you?" "Are you sure you understand?  You won't forget?  It is very important that you remember and do what I am telling you." I assured him that I would remember and I'd do as he told me.  Then, I was back in my kitchen at the sink, and couldn't remember one thing he'd told me, and it worried me because whatever he'd said to me was very important and I had told him I would not forget and would be sure to do whatever it was he'd told me to do.  Now five years later I still cannot remember. 

2nd experience:  8/04: Was asleep, when I heard my husband say," wakeup--I want to show you something, I awoke and he was standing beside the bed dressed in a nice suit & tie, I said," you didn't have to dress up just to come visit me," he said," yes, I did I need to show you something, look at my feet, I looked down but couldn't see his feet over the edge of the bed and asked, "why do you want me to look at your feet what's wrong with your feet?"  He grinned real big as if he had a big joke on me and said," just look at my feet." I leaned over the bed and saw that he had highly polished shoes on, and ,"said there is nothing wrong with you feet." He says," no there is not a thing wrong with my feet, now you can stop worrying." Then he disappeared. Next day I kept wondering about all the attention about his feet, later in the week I realized why he was putting so much thought to his feet...I had the day before his funeral taken some clothing to the funeral home, I took socks for him but no shoes, because I felt that just lying there he didn't need shoes on.  The funeral director asked for his shoes and I said I didn't bring shoes that I didn't see the need of shoes, he said that it was a matter of choice and we let it go.  Later, one of the children asked me which of dad's shoes did I take to the funeral home and when I said none they were very upset and said'" How is dad going to walk around heaven with no shoes on? You have doomed him to walk forever barefoot in heaven, mom, how could you"  Then I begin to wonder if indeed He needed his shoes. My mind knew it didn't matter but my emotions said different so he came to me all dressed up with very shiny shoes, so I'd know he wasn't wandering around barefoot

Was this experience difficult to express in words? 

No

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?         

Yes

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?           

No

Did you see the deceased?        

Yes

He was as he appeared at about 30 in life; very clear and in full color; and he was grinning as he used to do when he pulled a joke on me.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            as if living.

            How much of the deceased did you see?       all;

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?       no, he appeared full of life and in good health, as he was at about 30 years of age.

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            He appeared very healthy, even the scars he had on his face in life were gone.

            Is there any possibility what you saw was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           I have a picture on my dresser of him at a younger age than he appeared to me, in the picture he is dressed in his service uniform.  In the vision he was dressed in regular suit and tie.

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?     

No

How long did the experience last?       

don't know I was asleep and he woke me up.  I didn't check the clock.  It lasted long enough to converse with him.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?        

After showing me his nicely shined shoes and saying I could stop worrying he disappeared.

after the first experience, I was the one who left and came back to the kitchen.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          

Yes

1st experience--He was stern and concerned that there was something I should remember and do.

2nd experience--he was happy, and playing a joke on me.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know? 

1st experience--yes, but when I was back in the kitchen I couldn't remember what he said. Only that it was important.

2nd experience--to relieve my mind .

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?          

Experience was definitely real

            Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:         

This is not the first experience with communication with departed spirits. This is the only two times from my husband.  I had a near death experience in 1955 and afterward had strange experiences for a time.  I know for a fact that the experience was real. The only surprise is that he has appeared to me only two times.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?  

No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:          

1st experience--confused because I did not remember the message he gave me.

2nd experience--was happy to see him, confused about what he was doing.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?          

Yes

My husband had no religious belief, when he was very ill I asked he if he would like to have a minister visit him, and  he refused saying that he didn't believe in all that.  After seeing him healthy and strong as he was as a young man I knew that God had taken care of him after his life was over. I had been concerned about his religious beliefs...now I know that through God's grace he is in a lovely and happy place.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?     

The worst part was that I couldn't be with him that I had to return home and in the second case that he left me behind

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   No      

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.? 

Yes            After my own experience with death, I knew there was something wonderful after you died. I did not have a full OOB experience, so I did not know if any unbelievers entered heaven.  Now I am assured that they do.

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?   

Uncertain

I remember the surroundings we were in were pleasant, everything felt right and normal it seemed the same as a wooded area on earth it felt natural.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?    

Yes

I left my home and was where my husband was. Then returned to my home, it did not feel strange in the least, except that I was here, then I was there, then here again. It felt natural.  At the time I did not even question or wonder about it. 

In the last experience, I was happy to see him, he woke me up and at first I was fuzzy with sleep, but then everything felt as it did before he passed away.