Three Amazing Things That Happened After My Mom Transitioned To The Other Side
One day, in one of my darkest moments, I was curled up in a chair in the living room thinking about how to go on with life without my best friend.
By JEANNIE SHAW
I Didn’t Want To Die But I Didn’t Know How To Live
December, 1999. I had just returned to Belize City. I went with my mom to Guatemala for a routine surgery and she died three days later – totally unexpected. It was a simple biopsy. We would be in and out in no time and we were gonna ‘shop til we drop’ for Christmas.
Instead, I left Belize with a mom and came back without one.
One day, in one of my darkest moments, I was curled up in a chair in the living room thinking about how to go on with life without my best friend. I didn’t want to die but I wasn’t sure how to live. Not without her. I felt LOST.
My Body Kept Waking Up
The sun rose and set each day and somewhere in the midst of the world continuing to revolve, so did I. Even though I felt like I couldn’t go on, my body kept waking up. And, somewhere in the middle of coping and trying to find my way, I found a connection to her spirit. I would eventually have moments with her that were unexplainable.
This is my edited version of this post – now 2022… and up to December 2021, mom was still connecting with me.
There have been many but here are three amazing things happened after my mom transitioned to the other side. They helped me in dealing with the loss.
STOP! Like My Heart Did When She Left
I was back in Belize and as we were driving around making arrangements for her memorial service, we came off the main bridge in downtown Belize City and turned right into Water Lane, passing the home of my grandfather. People were walking, riding, working and talking on street corners as if life were just carrying on. Baffling to me.
Did they not know my mom had passed away?
What are you doing out here?
Talking and acting as if nothing has happened.
Did you not get the memo?
HELLO! My mom passed away.
Halt! Cease and Desist from all activity!
STOP … like my heart did when she died.
It was TOUGH, to say the least.
It only took 10 whole years for me to be mostly ok with her passing on.
Only 10!
Poetry In Motion
If you’ve ever watched a Medium episode with Theresa Caputo or Tyler Henry, then you understand how spirit nudges you and guides you often, if you believe that stuff.
Unbeknownst to me, my mom had attended a funeral many years before and found a poem on the back of the program that apparently made her think of her own mortality.
She so loved this poem that she brought it to her sister (my Tia) telling her that whichever one of them passes first, the surviving sister should share this poem with the children of the one who passed on. And, my mom wanted them to agree to do it three months after the passing. Tia agreed and put it away in a bin and carried on with her life, completely forgetting her promise.
One Big Crying Fest
In honor of the Golden Girls, and especially Betty White… haha
Picture it…Belize City – March, 2000. Somehow Tia ended up in her closet sifting through boxes and bins and lo and behold she came across the poem, almost exactly three months after my mom passed. You can imagine how awe struck she felt when she stumbled across the poem. I wonder exactly what that moment was like for her knowing she had to have been guided to the bins and boxes that held her forgotten promise.
She called and asked if I could take her to my mom’s grave.
As we sat in the car, the story unfolded and tears flooded my being… a sense of loss, love and comfort all interlaced into one big crying fest. The poem basically speaks of moving on, to cry if you must but not to hold to grief too tightly. It spoke of limiting the time spent at the grave site for only the body is there but the spirit is free. It was what I needed to hear. Not only did it give me comfort but it was a glimmer of hope that her spirit lived on. Always was, is and always will be.
Letting Go And Moving On
She wanted her children to be ok with letting go and moving on. We were to come to her grave if we saw fit but we were free to choose and she hoped we’d choose happiness and joy. It’s as if she was still there in deed. As a mom, that’s how she was – always supportive and always wanting us to be happy.
I held on to that poem for 14 years but lost track of it in a move I made but the impact it had on me will never be forgotten. It was my first of many experiences with her after her transition. The connection I feel to her was still there. Sometimes the signal seemed low but mostly it was there.
Six Months And A Puppy To Smile Again
It took 6 months and a puppy for me to really smile again. Two years to fully focus on a new love, the arrival of my son, and 10 years to forget to write her annual poem. It takes time.
It’s now 22 years later. Some days still feel surreal. Sometimes I talk about her and how she was and feel fine in the moment. Then as soon as I am alone, the emptiness finds its way back to me. Before I know it, tears are washing down my face in the shower. It is a harsh reminder that the sadness can still grab a hold of me no matter how much time passes. Disorientation often accompanies it.
I’d try to convince myself that she was here.
I did have a mom.
She did exist.
Dealing with the loss of a mother was not easy.
Mostly though, I’m ok. Mostly.
When I sit and recall special connections like these though, I’m reminded that she is never far even though it may feel that way sometimes.
My Pity Party And Shannon’s Dream
Fast forward to some years later… I was having a moment. Anger ensued. I felt like my mom died and left me. Abandoned.
Imagine! She left me.
How could she just pass away like that, knowing that I was still here and needed her? I had already had my son. My brother and I were running the business she left behind. I remember thinking that she hadn’t reached me out to me again, like that time with Tia and the poem. It’s hard to rationalize this feeling of abandonment even though in my higher consciousness I knew that not to be true. It was a pity party I was having and no one knew but me, or so I thought.
A couple days later I got a call from my friend Shannon. My mom took many of our friends as her own kids, especially if she saw they were good to us. Shannon is the wife of one of her other “sons”. It was so fitting that she’d choose Shannon. She’s a natural story teller and what better way to send her direct message to me.
Hello From The Other Side
Shannon had a dream and a message for me. She said she saw my mom in a car waiting and was so excited to see her. She went up to my mom, ecstatic to see her. “Ms Jean, how are you? Where have you been? What are you doing here?”, she asked. My mom smiled and told her she was fine and all was well but said “Can you give Jeannie a message for me?”. “Sure”, said Shannon. “Tell her I said hello. Make sure you tell her you saw me and that I said hello”.
If you’re not teary eyed now, don’t worry, I’m tearing up for both of us. It was my message that I was not alone. She had not abandoned me. She was close by and was letting me know.
No one knew how I was feeling or that I’d felt like she disappeared into thin air leaving me with only memories that often felt illusory. I cried and told Shannon how I had been feeling. It then made sense to her how adamant my mom was about delivering the message to me.
Hello! (from the other side).
It was important. I did need to hear from her… it was soothing even if only for a moment.
Dreaming Of Tuesday
Later, my mom came to me in my own dream.
I had been marketing a property for sale. It wasn’t moving as I expected. I found myself feeling despondent. It felt like business was taking a downward spiral that was out of my control.
In the dream, my mom asked me if I could take some people “up the road”. In my country, this meant up the highway – one of the four that we have. She needed me to take them on Tuesday. I was concerned about the time because I was dating someone at the time and I didn’t want to miss his call. (Yes, in my dream I was concerned about my love life. Pathetic, I know. When I’m in, I’m in, what can I say?)
Of course, I didn’t explain the latter to her – only that I wanted to know the time. She was a business lady first. I would not even fathom the thought of arranging business around a phone call from a man. Even in my dream I knew better than that! HaHa
She said she was not sure of the time but just to make sure that I’d be available on Tuesday and I said ok.
Let Light In
When I woke up and got to work, I pulled the curtains, tilted the blinds and felt these words flow from my thoughts “let light in”. I decided I wouldn’t be sad. Instead, I chose to be expectant and to trust. The dream was so sweet and felt so real like I really did talk to her, I had to call my Tia to tell her. Our phone call ended with both of us toying with the idea that the property would sell and it was going to be Tuesday. “Hahaha”, we both chuckled away.
Growing up with our mom, we watched her turn regular visitors into repeat customers who grew to love her and whom she could get to watch her front desk and even answer phones if needed. She would take them to church, market, local events… SERIOUSLY and they’d come back for more.
As much as I often declare that I didn’t have the “people person” gift like my mom did, it became clear over the years that I had at least learned it.
Some of our repeat guests included missionaries. One of them that has stood out to me since was named Mr Tibbs. That morning, I saw him outside waiting in his truck. We had a quick chat and he offered a prayer. He prayed that God send the man that needs that land… specifically saying those words. It felt good and far reaching. It brought a further sense of well being to me.
Amen.
I carried on with my week and I left despair behind.
Tell No One Of This
That weekend, I decided to get out of the city a bit and go inland to one of my favorite places tucked away in the village of Burrell Boom. As I sat around relaxing, I got a phone call that I needed to come to the city for a quick meeting about the property. I was informed that some people had gone through the property and were prepared to make an offer close to my asking price. It was serious. If you’re in the business of real estate, you know words are just words. Period.
It gave me some comfort but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. For now, it was just words. So until it was a closed sale, I’d tell no one of this.
Tuesday morning just before midday, the buyer arrived and the property sold.
Yes, that’s right. Tuesday.
It was the day my mom told me to be available.
I was beside myself. I called my Tia to tell her and it was the best hahahaha we had, besides the other day when she told me she thought BFF meant Best F*cking Friend. NOW, THAT WAS HILARIOUS.
My mom had delivered a message directly to me this time. She’d even given me a day to be available and the property was “up the road”.
These are only a few instances I’ve had with my mom. Some are too personal to share but this gives an insight into the connection I’ve had with her since her passing.
Losing her was one of the hardest things I’ve had to endure. In recent years, I became very interested in NDE (near death experiences), spirit, intuition, third eye opening and the like.
This Is Personal
My whole belief system took a shift in 2009 and has been ever evolving since. Some will chalk these things up to coincidences or get into debates about it. I opt out of those. Lover, not a fighter… remember?
Or is this my first blog post you’re reading?
These are just my personal experiences that ring true for me.
(2018) Two weeks ago, two friends of mine lost their mom. I wanted so badly to share this to let them know of my experiences which I humbly share, knowing that it’s not for everyone. Instead of writing, I found myself with “writer’s block”. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to bring up any feelings of missing my mom, especially when I know I sometimes still have to convince myself she was even here.
Losing Her Is So Not Easy
My mom’s passing felt hard and dark. It was confusing and lonely and terrifying. I even moved into my brother’s room for some months. Eventually I adjusted and these experiences remind me that she’s available, like the dream I had where she messaged me on Whatsapp. It was her way of telling me she was that easy to reach – as if she were a contact on Whatsapp.
It finally got manageable … I’d dare to say easy.
No.
Easier.
NOT easy.
The sun continued to rise and set for 22 more years. People continued about their lives even though I wanted everything to stop. It only stopped for me and even then, only momentarily. Now, I manage well enough, with a few random break downs here and there.
Dealing with the loss of a mother was not easy.
Mostly though, I’m ok.
Mostly.
Of all the amazing things that have happened since my mom’s transition from her physical form, there are none so great as having had her as a mom for 26 full years.
She was AMAZING. She really was. Like, I’m not just saying that.
Even If You Had A Twin, I’d Still Choose You
I would not have it any other way even if someone said I could have a different mom for 50 years. I’d take one day only with her as my mom over any other amount of days with any other woman to call my mom. In the words of Drake in his duet with Rhianna, “Even if you had a twin, I would still choose you”.
—
Dear Mom,
The pleasure was all mine.
With Love,
Jeannie
This is so awesome She was Amazing
… as are you! I’ll always remember you Paulette. Thanks for reading.
Jeannie, this made me cry but as always I took control before it got out of hand. My mom’s been gone for 3 yes 2 months and I am still nowhere close to acceptance. I am afraid of having a cry fest because I feel that it will sink me into a depression I won’t be able to come out from. I agree, how can everyone else move on and carry on as if everything was normal? It isn t and I don’t think it ever will be again for me. I take some measure of comfort from my children but it’s not enough. Life goes on, I know, but I don’t know how to. Reading your blog in its entirety was difficult but I did it. It was touching, sounds trite but it’s true. Thanks.
I understand. I only knew I was doing better when I forgot to publish her annual poem. Each year, I wrote a new poem for her and published it in 4 local newspapers. On the 10th year, I forgot. It was only then that I realized I was mostly ok. It takes time. Thank you for reading it in its entirety. 🙂 May peace and comfort find you a little more each day Cerafina. <3
WOW… I have to share this!
🙂 Please do! Thanks for reading Joyce <3
This is so beautifully written to share a window into your own soul and the light that is Miss Jean’s spirit. Thank you so much for sharing.
So appreciate everyone reading and commenting. Thanks again Romy.
Hey Jeanie,
The picture you paint of your mom rings so true. I am glad you decided to share because our loved, treasured ones live on through us and the memories we share. Thank you and love spans this lifetime and beyond.
Hugs,
WAN
🙂 Thanks Will… appreciate it. Hugs back to you.
Dame awesome
Thanks Treece <3
Beautiful … will republish on my FB blog page …
https://www.facebook.com/Glenn-Tillettcom-712617415517193/
🙂 Thanks Glen… appreciate your time to read and comment and share!!!
Dear Jeannie,
My eyes got blurry while reading this wonderdul tribute to your Mom. Importantly, it speaks volumes about the person that you are! You are spiritual, open to pain but cognizant of the importance of truly living. You are good!
As a Mom reading your blog, I gained insights and reflected on the depth of love that children have for parents.
Blessings to and your family.
Laura Tucker-Longsworth
Mom, Grandma, Great grandmother
Dear Mrs Laura, I love that this comment started with “Dear” just like my mini letter to my mom 🙂
Thank you so much for your time in reading the post and to comment.
Life is fleeting and I’m still learning to “truly live”.
That sharing my story brought you some insight and took you to reflection brings me great joy.
Thank you! Blessings to you, your children, grandchildren and great grand children.
What a blessing for them and you!
Jeannie, reading it was difficult indeed, especially since the loss of our beloved mom is so recent. I used to admire my mom’s direct connection to the man above and knew that I would always have her to intercede on my behalf. Well, somehow in her absence, I find myself holding on so tightly to God’s hand that I think I’ve already cut off His circulation. I know that my connection isn’t as direct as my mom’s was, but I’m working on getting closer and closer to it daily. This brings me great comfort.
I’ve tried my best to see the positive (if there is such a thing) in my mom’s passing. She left us suddenly, which made it more difficult for us, but also meant that she didn’t suffer. Also, we were all in the country when it happened, because we already had plans to accompany my daughter to start school abroad, and it would have killed me if she had passed while we were away.
I think grief is a process. Time really makes the process a bit easier to bear. I’m sending you a huge hug and pray for our acceptance of this difficult process.
Love,
Annie
Annie, this post was inspired by your and Mel’s loss.
First I felt silent and just could not write for two weeks so I didn’t force myself but finally the words came pouring out. I didn’t’ share directly because I wasn’t sure if it was too early. When my mom first passed, I went into solitude a lot and even cut some people off. It felt like many people were saying the “wrong things” so I avoided a lot of them to save myself. I appreciate that you even read it and hope it helps later on. Maybe. Loss is easier to talk about when 18 years have passed.
Remember, only the first 10 were hard lol. Only 10!
I love your statement about cutting off God’s circulation lol. My experience would say you could never lol but at least you’re mindful 🙂
Time. Just time, sometimes lots of time. Acceptance can’t be forced and no one can convince us of it. It comes when it will and flows as it should, just like grass doesn’t strain to grow. I’m so happy you were all there for her and that she didn’t suffer.
Hugs back to all of you. I have been thinking of you guys and it made me remember my mom and these amazing connections I still find with her. Sending love and warmest thoughts.
My eyes Jeannie, Your Mammy sounds as if she was a beautiful person, inside and out. I never had the pleasure of speaking to her, but Lyn did and said she was always so lovely to her. Your bond with your Mammy must have been so very special. If i had a wish for you it would be to have that one wee day with her, a day wouldn’t be enough to tell each other everything that has happened. I believe she is there with you and watching over you, Tomy and the kids. I know we haven’t met, but one day hopefully. Life gets in the way and it shouldn’t. Love you Sis and think of you all often. God took her way too soon <3
Aww Ali… I love you too and I so look forward to meeting you sis. Hopefully soon. Thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate your time mucho. Love and Hugs…
Thank you for sharing these intimate moments… I lost my father when I was very young so growing up I was close to my maternal grandfather.. when he passed (and when every other person I’m close to passes) I have those same feelings of abandonment and wondering how the sun can be shining and people can just be out living like nothing has changed.
It does get easier for sure but I know what you mean by the grief just grabbing you randomly.
You’re so fortunate to have had these extra special times with your mom directly or through family/friends. <3
It’s always refreshing to know other people have similar experiences. The experiences have been good and bad. I still have moments where I feel abandoned, like this week. In those moments, it’s hard to remember these amazing experiences. 🙂 Thanks so much for reading and commenting Ruby!!!