Remember me to one who lives there...she once was a true love of mine

Soft sheets warm from the dryer. The sound of rain pounding on the street and the roof when all else is quiet. Peppermint oil. The sweet song of a violin. Herbs picked fresh from the garden. The first bite of a crisp apple. Nag Champa. Sweat from a strong workout. Blue Vanilla slush. The number 33. Greek yogurt drizzled with good local honey. My children's hair. Sunshine on my shoulders. Laughter. Sweet dreams. Givenchy Pi. Nostalgic music. A cold glass of peppermint water.

An hour, a month, a year....

I've mentioned many times that I believe that when a person passes, they stay with us -- sometimes there are even signs -- and if you're open to them, you will see them.

I don't remember if I posted about it or not, but in the first 48 hours of my Mom's passing - there were signs. Definite, and in my mind - unequivocable signs. There was one other sign about two weeks ago, that might not have truly been one, but it was fun to think it might have been. But since then, there has been nothing else. Until today.....

Today is the one month anniversary of her passing. One of my sales reps also experienced the loss of her Mom, two weeks to the day prior to mine. Since I haven't seen her since the immediate of her Mom's passing -- today when she came in, naturally I asked how she was doing. She answered, and in return asked about how I was doing. So, I mentioned that today was actually one month of her passing...when all of a sudden, no sooner was I able to get another word out of my mouth, but a soap dispenser cover came flying off the wall. No word of a lie. Now mind you - this is a commercial grade dispense, attached to the wall and the cover can not come off easily. As a matter of fact, because it snaps so tightly to the base - when I refilled it two weeks ago, I wrestled with getting it off. We've had lots of construction going on outside my building from time to time in the last 7 months we've been open: jackhammering of the sidewalk for renovation (so loud it triggered my security system!), the street's been regrooved and repaved, and nothing has ever caused anything to shake or let alone fly off the wall. (Might I add that I have a 42" television mounted to the wall directly above said soap dispenser....one would think that might move a bit if there's some serious shaking, wouldn't one?) But today, in the quiet store, with no type of noise or construction going on -- as we were discussing my Mom......the soap dispenser cover decides to just fly onto the floor.

Interesting, eh?

My friend K and I looked at each other in surprise....and then just chalked it up to my Mom saying hello. Remember the movie "Ghost", when Patrick Swayze realizes how hard he has to work in order to move something - but figures out how to do it? I swear, that's what my Mom is doing.

And if it's just random coincidences, well..... I just don't know that I'd buy that theory.

It's only been 30 days....and yet in some ways, it feels like an eternity.

At the same time, it feels like it was just yesterday.

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs...

I've always expressed that I believe in magic and miracles.
I also choose to believe that when we lose people we love -- they aren't entirely gone. Their physical being is gone, but their energy never dies; it just manifests into something that we may not be able to recognize easily, but yet it's there just the same.

Today, I choose to believe there was a sign of someone. It was subtle, but yet so odd to have had occur, it's rather difficult to ignore.

My mother's older sister Saralee passed away when I was 15. She was 39 years old, and had a medical condition that was impossible to have detected in advance; it took her with literally no warning. It was sudden, tragic - and life altering for us all. She was an incredibly strong person, who was always helping people and loved adventures -- and was always taking me on the weekends to go camping with my cousins, or to the zoo....or just to come spend the weekend at her house. I named my Princess Petunia for her, actually. I didn't use her name specifically, but something in the general vicinity of it.

Today, my cousin - her daughter - came and visited me at the store. It was a crazy, busy day and I had appointment after appointment with reps, which I hadn't completely expected. One of the reps brought a wine maker with her to sample me on a new portfolio release. I asked my cousin if she wanted to sample as well, and of couse she did, who wouldn't - right? So as the rep lines the bottle up, my cousin looks at me and says "oh my god - did you see the name on the label?".

Would you believe, it was Arrowood Winery's "Saralee Vineyards".
What are the chances....?
Saralee isn't the most common of names; neither is the spelling of it being all one word.

Chalk it up to coincidence......? Sure. I could.

But I'm more inclined to think that it's a sign. My cousin didn't have to be there when I was being tasted on the line; five minutes earlier....five minutes later -- she may not have been there. I could've seen that label alone and thought "oh, isn't that nice..." and had memories of my aunt flash through my mind and moved on. But to have my cousin be there to taste the wine and have it be that particular vineyard, well....that's just too specific to blame on the randomness of life.

I'd like to think that was some semblence of energy ensuring that all the components were there to allow a message of saying "I'm still here" come through in a way that we would recognize and embrace.

And if I'm wrong...well.
Then I don't want to be right. Because it's better to have hope and faith, than not.
Wouldn't you agree?