There's No Down Doubt... Mama Came Back From The Other Side

There's No Doubt...  MAMA CAME BACK FROM THE OTHER SIDE
BY Gloria Faye Brown Bates/ aka Granny Gee                                        



I came in from the back door, to my left was our bedroom.  Skip and I had chosen that bedroom when we moved into the big, two-story house... because it was easier to get up to let the pups outside to their fenced-in yard.  Some time later, Tommy fashioned a pet door so, we wouldn't have to get up all through the night.


This particular day, I had been to walk and had just entered the house and turned to go into our bedroom when.... I froze.  The whole room was enveloped in smoke!


I panicked and hurried inside the room sniffing the air for a burning scent.  I began to realize... it wasn't 'a burning scent'!  Where is the smoke coming from?


I walked to the door, looked into next room and saw that the air was normal, clear as a bell.  I turned to look back into the bedroom, the air was heavy with 'smoke'!


I couldn't understand unless.....  I went back into the bedroom, stood in front of the fireplace... my mother's ashes were sitting on the mantle piece above the fireplace.  I turned around slowly in the room, still the 'smoke' was there, but... no burning smell.


I put my hands up to feel the air, didn't feel anything.  Mama!  Tears came to my eyes as I 'felt' like it was mama doing as she'd promised.  'If' something should happen to me first... I had promised my mother that if possible, I'd make myself known if I died.  Mama had promised me the same promise when we were laughing, talking just several months ago about such.  No one even thought one of them would be gone so soon.


I happened to look at my computer sitting on my desk that had been placed near the bed when I was very ill. I walked to it, my mouth fell open!  My monitor screen had begun scrolling and wouldn't stop scrolling.  I couldn't believe it and 'knew' there was a presence here that was her mama!  Mama!


No sooner than I thought 'Mama'... I heard the sound of dishes falling in the kitchen sink!  I ran to the kitchen to look to where the dish drainer was... several plates and cups were in the sink.  I went to the sink and couldn't believe 'plates fell' into the sink?  How could that happen... they sit 'in' the drainer!  I stood there in disbelief, but... 'knowing' it was my mama.


I walked quickly back to the bedroom, the 'smoke' was still in the bedroom!  I sensed all was okay, there wasn't anything burning.  This was my mother keeping a promise we'd both made.  I went on to forget the smoke that really was a fog now.  I knew it wasn't smoke.  Later that evening it was gone.


I didn't see the fog again until several days later when I came into the house.  I stood there looking at it, imagining seeing my mama in it.  I never saw my mama no matter that I imagined hard... to do so.  I just smiled through my tears... I miss you, mama, with my very heart.  I went on to do my chores and later, noticed the fog was gone.  It never came back.


A month later, I decided I wanted to wear my new walking shoes.  I had been very ill for three years and had been getting stronger by the day.  I was ready to begin walking.  My husband, Skip, had purchased them for me.  I had put them in the new wardrobe he'd gotten me for extra storage.


The wardrobe was very nice, solid in its construction.  It had two nice doors in front and a solid back.  I loved it, it had shelves inside on one side, and a place to hang clothes on the other side.  On the shelves, I had some special things there.  One special box held the pretty new shoes Skip had gotten for me.


I took the box, sat on the edge of the bed to open them.  My feet were bare and the carpet felt good to my toes.  The carpet was Hunter green in color... I loved that color, it was elegant.


I opened the top of the box, placed the lid on the bedspread.  I unwrapped the tissue paper that was around both shoes, and began to take a shoe out.  Something small and white began falling from the shoe.  Puzzled, I looked closely to see what in the world was falling from the shoe.  I knew there wasn't anything in the shoes... I had wrapped the shoes myself in the tissue that came with the box when I stored them.


I took the other shoe out of the tissue, and looked closer, not believing what I was seeing.  I turned the shoe over to let the contents... fall to the dark green carpet.... there was a pile of pure white.......... rice there!  All had come from inside both shoes!


I just sat there.... sat staring with pain, grief in my heart.  Mama!  I cried on the inside as the tears fell on the outside.  There wasn't any way the rice could have gotten there... I 'knew' it was my mama.


I knew these things because these weren't the first things I'd ever witnessed that were strange.  I, also, knew miracles happened.  I had witnessed those, too.


I sat there for some time hugging my new shoes to my chest, staring at that little pile of pure white rice.  I sat there in amazement.


I never did see anything else after the fog, and scrolling monitor screen, and falling dishes and pile of rice that was 'Mama'.   Sadly, I have been waiting for my son, Tommy.... to make an appearance for 3 years.  He hasn't come back... yet.  There's no doubt... my mama came back from the other side...