Spirit Cross-Walk

What awaits us after life has long been a topic for discussion. I myself believe in an after life, but I also believe in the unexplained that can usually only be referred to as the paranormal or ghost stories. Though I believe they exist, I do not believe they are as flashy as some tv shows and movies make them out to be. I have never experienced floating orbs of light, obscured figures walking about, or disembodied voices. The experiences I have are few and far between, but real enough and strange enough that give me reason to believe there is more than what meets the eye, or is even easily understood by science or religion without crossing over the boundary lines of death itself.

Earlier this year, my mother passed away and I still think of her often. I find myself missing: her voice, things she would say to me, funny things she would do, even her scolding me for doing something stupid. The other day I was leaving work and spent some time talking to a colleague. She said something exactly the way I know my mother would have and it was like she was right there with me. It felt like I was hearing it in stereo. We said our goodbyes, and walked to our own vehicles to head home. After I pulled out of my parking space and went through the gate, I followed my usual route home which leads to an over pass.

My job is at a warehouse in a very busy part of an industrial neighborhood. The nearby airport, the freeway, the overhead rapid transport train and all the different fast-food chains and gas stations make for a congested traffic situation. It is not uncommon to see all eight street lanes filled with stop and go traffic at the mercy of the changing red and green traffic lights. This night however, work let out rather late, so the traffic was sparse and I was able to get home rather quickly, but not before I experienced a strange occurrence.

Following my conversation with my coworker, thoughts of mom flooding my mind, I neared the on-ramp to the freeway that starts just before the earlier mentioned overpass. Eyes misty, I said out loud in my truck cabin "I miss you mom" and ahead of me the crosswalk lights began flashing, signaling a pedestrian's right to cross. This particular evening had a heavy rain following a long drought, so with windshield wipers going to give me a clear view of what was ahead of me, I waited for the pedestrian to proceed. I waited, for no-one.

The cross-walk was empty. Dark as it was, I saw not a single person cross the road or standing on either sidewalk. There was no umbrella, no raincoat, no dashing figure trying to escape the rain fall, nothing; all I saw was two flashing cross-walk lights on opposite sides of the road. Beneath both lights, were the circular shaped metal hand sensors one touches to activate the lights before crossing, yet there was no person anywhere in the immediate vicinity who could of activated them in the first place. Considering their timing, I found it suspicious. All I could do, was say: "Hi Mom."

Yes, I believe in ghosts and an after life, however, I don't believe, that when one passes on, we never see them again. I believe full heartedly they check in on us from time to time. My mother was full of life and she made sure the world knew it. She walked into a room and made it brighter with just her being there. I think that night, after work, just two weeks ago, my mother lit up the night sky with flashing pedestrian lights. Maybe she was saying hello, or maybe in her non-physical form, she was following me home to make sure I drove safely in the downpour. Whatever her reason, I believe she was there with me that night, activating the hand sensor with the warmth of her soul.