‘It was Christmas of 2007. Belle started to feel weak and not long after that she stopped eating. We rushed her to the vet’s and they ran every test they could think of. X-rays revealed that she had a tumour the size of an orange. And that it had spread all over her body. It was too late; there was nothing more they could do. My world fell apart in seconds. I knew someday we’d lose her, but I also knew I would never be ready to let my little girl go. I asked the vet how much time she had left, but because she had already stopped eating we knew it wouldn’t be long.
‘I asked the vet to give me something for her appetite and brought Belle home. Over the next few days I cooked her special meals, and she did eat small amounts. We both knew she was dying and that we didn’t have much time left together. I spoiled her right to the end. The morning of 5 January 2008, I looked into her beautiful eyes and knew right away that it was time to put her suffering to an end. I stayed with her all the way to the vet’s, telling her that everything would be all right and that we would be reunited somehow, someday.
‘She fell into her eternal sleep right before my eyes; I have never felt pain like it in my whole entire life. I spent the week after that crying like I’ve never cried before. I would talk to her and look at pictures and remember all the special times we’d had together. I used to sleep with her little duck because it brought me comfort. And that’s when I started praying to my angels. The pain was unbearable.
‘One night in my prayers I asked the angels to take care of Belle. In my own sadness and in my own selfish needs I asked them if there was a way that they could bring her back to me; I was begging for her to come back. My grieving process was not going well at all. But one night I managed to fall into a deep sleep, and that night I had the first dream. I saw Belle in a glowing light; she was so beautiful. Next to her there was a grey shadow, a male in form with a bright light around him. He spoke to me. He told me, “She’s in good hands. I’m going to take care of her and in time I’ll bring her back to you…”
‘I woke up and was stunned by what happened. I felt such strong feelings of love and peace in my heart and my soul. Right after that I knew I was going to have Belle with me again, and the only way I thought that would be possible would be to have her returned to me in another body with the help of my angels.
‘That night, that angel gave me the hope that, yes, this was possible, so the next morning I jumped on my computer and began to search for all the Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever breeders I could find. I searched and searched, and eventually found a breeder in Ontario (16 hours’ drive from where I live). They were expecting two litters in the January, so I contacted them and told them about my loss. One of the litters was already spoken for, but the other litter was still available. And best of all, I would have first pick of the litter. I was thrilled!
‘I kept in touch with the breeder every day, a lovely woman originally from England. She sent me pictures of the mother and father of the new puppies to come, and when I saw the mother I was very surprised to see that she looked just like Belle, but in another colour. Time went by and I still missed my little girl, but I was determined to bring her back home. It’s the only way I could deal with the grief. But bad days would come often … when the memories surfaced. I would cry and cry.
‘One night I had another dream. I saw Belle in the same glowing light with the angel by her side. And she’s the one who “spoke” to me that night. She told me, “Mom, stop hurting… I’m coming home…” The next morning I rushed to my computer to check my e-mails, and saw an e-mail from the breeder. She told me that the puppies had been born during the night and that all had gone well. The mom and the babies were all doing great. She sent me a picture of the mom and puppies together. Tears ran down my cheeks. I realized that Belle had come to me during the night before entering her new body. It was now 17 January.
‘I had to choose between three little girls. Since I was 16 hours away from the puppies, it was hard for me to go and see them, so the breeder was sending me all the pictures that she could. One night I asked my angels again for help. “How will I know which one to choose?” A few days later I had my third dream. It was the same angel, and he said to me that I would see a sign. As the puppies grew older, the breeder sent me a ton of pictures of the three little girls. One of them was lighter in colour. Belle was a shade of cream, rare for her breed, but I knew Belle was cross-mixed. And when I saw that little girl, light in colour, I knew that was my sign.
‘I know I picked the right one. I saw her growing up in the pictures. I recognized the same look in her eyes. The same white markings on the paws and chest… even my mom told me one day, “Look at her eyes, they’re the same as Belle’s.” I told my mom my story a long time after this.
‘My little girl came home at eight weeks of age in the March. She flew to Quebec City, which was three hours from where I live. It was the most exciting day ever! When I saw her in her little cage, looking scared, I took her in my arms and I said, “Welcome back, my sweet angel.” She was this little fur ball, cute as ever, the most precious, beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen. We drove her home, stopping often to give her little walks. She was shy but by the third stop, she’d begun to play a little. She was too cute! Back home we introduced her to her brothers and all went well.
‘Our new little girl is called Fancy-Divine. Fancy is a little angel, too; she’s the sweetest dog. Her face and her personality just melt everyone’s heart. She gives a lot of kisses and loves to play… but in her case it’s really an obsession. She’s a real clown. When we ask her to laugh, she does this thing with her teeth; it’s the funniest thing ever. She’s the most lovable little girl on Earth. Our lifestyle didn’t change when Fancy arrived. We still go for walks, rides, games, vacations – she’s in every moment of our lives… and she’s my best friend.
‘I firmly believe that she is the reincarnation of Belle. There have been so many signs. The first time I gave her food (she was only two months old at the time) was the same day I brought her home. She was looking at her bowl, and looking at me afterwards, the same way Belle did. Belle invited me to play with her and the food that way. It was the same look, the same body position, so I grabbed a kibble and threw it across the floor like I used to do with Belle, and I got exactly the same reaction: she ran to catch it. We did this a little more and she reached her bowl to eat the rest, just like Belle used to do.
‘Fancy just turned three years old and still plays with her food. The look in her eyes is the same… I really believe it’s the same soul. The same “mouse ears” thing. Same personality except that she’s more playful and less shy. I guess that’s because she didn’t have to put up with any abuse. But she still has her same kindness, her same approach. Belle was not an aggressive dog, but when she was in the car or jeep and we would stop for gasoline, she was scared of whoever was fuelling up and would bark at them. Fancy developed the same reaction with no reason. Me, my husband, my mom and dad, we’re convinced that we have Belle back in our lives.
‘I believe in angels. I truly believe that they’re there to help us in every way they can, and that they can reach out to us if we let them and welcome them into our lives. This experience changed my life. I know I’m not alone. I know my angels surround me in every moment. I feel their love. The universe or other dimensions are full of mysteries. I don’t look for answers. I’m just aware that we’re not alone, and even though we can’t see them, it doesn’t mean that angels and paranormal forces don’t surround us. What I experienced is real and I thank the angels from the bottom of my heart. They really came to me. And they still do. They’re a part of my everyday life.
‘My little girl was really back… oh, and I still have that little duck. He has a special place in my house!’ – CHANTALE
Lovely Lucy
‘Many years ago when my husband and I first married, we lived in an isolated area and decided it would be to our benefit to own a dog. As I was working a night shift my husband went to the RSPCA to l
ook at the homeless dogs for re-housing. He chose a Boxer-cross Labrador female, and even picked out the name Lucy after Lucille Ball. The next day I was to view this dog to see if she was the right one for us. Thankfully he had done all the spadework, so to speak, because when I went to see her there were that many dogs I would not have had a clue which one to have. I’m sure in my mind I would have come away with more than one dog.
‘Lucy proved to be a very special dog, and made friends with the local farmer’s dog and all the local animals around. She used to chase the rabbits away so that they couldn’t be shot, and would walk down the road with our pig Arnold to meet my husband Hugh from work.
‘When I was working late Hugh would often have a few pints in the local pub, which was about a kilometre from our house. Lucy seemed to sense where he was and would wait outside the pub door waiting for someone to come out so she could make a dash inside and sit down beside him, as much as to say “It’s time you came home.”
‘During the shooting season, duck hunters would cross the property next to ours to gain access to the creek that ran through quite a number of properties. On this one day in particular a hunter made the remark that he thought Lucy would probably be a good hunting dog. Little did he know she would more than likely chase the ducks away rather than let them be shot. The next morning Lucy was nowhere to be seen. At first I thought she was with Oliver, the farm dog, as he used to visit her once he had brought the cows in. For three weeks she was missing, and I actually gave up the idea of ever seeing her again. It was a Friday evening when I was searching the local papers for Labrador puppies but nothing was advertised.
‘I made myself ready to do the weekly shopping and, just as we went outside to get the car, who should be sitting at the bottom of the steps outside? Lucy! What wonderful thoughts went through my head. “Wow, you are back,” I called to her, and encouraged her to climb up the three steps to our door. But it was too much to ask, she just couldn’t do it. Her pads were bleeding and the inner part of her legs was all chafed. Hugh carried her inside and we made her as comfortable as possible, but it took her a week to get back on her feet. We couldn’t think where or who she’d been with all that time, only that all she wanted was to come home.
‘Lucy continued to bring all the stray dogs home, and even found a kitten that she looked after as if it were her own; they used to go everywhere together. Children added to the mix, as by this time we had two of our own. Of course they too were loved by Lucy, and she enjoyed playing with them and watching over them as they did her.
‘Sadly the time came when we sold our country property to live in the town to be nearer the schools. Lucy didn’t take too kindly to the restrictions and seemed quite sad at times. My sister, who had been suffering with rheumatoid arthritis, had been having gold injections over the past many months. Unbeknownst to the family she was having adverse reactions to the treatment, which even the doctor didn’t realize. After the last injection she became really ill and was confined to bed. The doctor would visit daily and was really concerned for her. The next day our beloved Lucy passed away with a heart complaint; we were all devastated because it was so sudden.
‘That night Lucy came to visit my sister in a dream. She told her that she had died so that she, my sister, could live. Lucy indicated to my sister in the dream visit that she didn’t mind if I got another dog. Nevertheless it took me 20 years before I could bring myself to own another dog. He also came from the pound, and just like Lucy he is much loved by people and animals alike.’ – VIOLET
Healing and Heavenly Experiences
‘Healing, Papa would tell me, is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.’
W. H. AUDEN
I’ve mixed two subjects together here: visits to heaven and healing encounters. I believe they are equally magical experiences. See what you think.
During a near-death experience many people visit a heavenly realm for the briefest of time before they are turned back by an angel or deceased relative, who tells them, ‘It’s not your time.’
In this next story the reader didn’t die… at least as far as we are aware, although she was very ill. These heavenly encounters are very rare and, therefore, all the more worth recording. It’s not every day you get a glimpse of a little piece of heaven.
Flying with My Angel
‘My name is Tammie and when I was 33 I suddenly became very ill. After going to my doctor nearly every day for around 10 months, I was finally diagnosed with Q-Fever (a disease caused by infection with Coxiella burnetii which affects both humans and animals). Even now, several years later, I am still unwell.
‘I have the biggest fear of dying and don’t like to be by myself. Every day is a struggle, and it was a strain on my wonderful husband Tim and our five children. Tim was only 36 when I became ill and our children were just ten, eight, seven, six and five… young to be around such a sick mother.
‘I believe strongly in my heart that one day I will get better. I am always looking for support and after reading your books I was encouraged to ask my guardian angel for some support and help every day. It really helped me; up until that point I had never given much thought as to whether I believed in angels or not. But I have always felt that there was “something” out there, even though I didn’t know what it might be.
‘At the time I became ill I was doing a few days’ voluntary work at the local Salvation Army shop every week while the kids were at school. I absolutely loved it. The people I worked with were all wonderful and fun to be around. I was so sad to have to give up my work. I was becoming so ill that I was unable to stand up for very long; I found walking hard, so in the end I had no choice but to stop volunteering.
‘I constantly had fevers and was always in pain, dizzy and shaking. My life slowed down to the minimum. Sometimes I slept for up to 22 hours a day. I was unable to drive, and it got that bad that I could no longer look after my family or even myself. My lovely husband, Tim, took over everything.
‘The kids grew up very quickly and they all got stuck in and helped out by making school lunches, doing the dishes, hanging out washing, sweeping floors and anything my husband asked them. I was so proud of the way they all rallied round. Tim’s boss gave him time off work to look after me, and a few very good friends would come and stay with me; I was too scared to be by myself because I had such a fear of dying. I spent hours and hours on the phone to my mother for support, and my wonderful mother-in-law came to stay and looked after me, helping out when Tim couldn’t take time off work and when we had to move from our home because I was becoming allergic to everything around me. It was at this time that I realized how lucky I was to have so many wonderful people in my life. If there was any blessing it was that… so many people loved and cared for me.
‘Just after I got sick I remember sitting in our lounge one day and Tim and the kids were going about their business getting tea, doing homework and just playing. Even though I was sitting in the room, a part of me felt that I was outside looking in at us all. It seems I’d had a sort of out-of-body experience. It was like I was hovering above the ground just watching. I could even see myself, just sitting in the lounge. It was so very strange, I just put it out of my mind.
‘At this time I was spending most hours of the day sleeping. I dreamed a lot, and most of the dreams I don’t remember very well. But this particular “dream” was different. I remember it all very well like it happened yesterday. I’ve had dreams of flying before, but this was different, it was real.
‘Not long after my out-of-body experience I was sleeping one night and woke abruptly. I felt like I’d landed on the bed with a big thump. My heart was beating fast and I just sat there for a long while. The strange thing is that I recalled exactly what I’d been doing before landing on my bed. I’d been flying with my friend Jan, who’d passed over only about a year earlier. This might sound strange, but we were flying around a huge mountain that had collapsed. There were people trapped everywhere and we were saving ev
eryone. But even though it was a disaster, the place was so beautiful: there were waterfalls, trees and caves.
‘I remember her holding my hand as we flew over a huge mountain. I knew there had been a landslide in the area we were flying over, and we were saving all these people and taking them to safety. The mountain was dark but the people we helped were all wearing bright clothes. We were dropping them by some big green trees with pink flowers all over them. We were getting people from caves and big rocks and putting them under the trees.
‘My friend Jan never left my side once, but all of a sudden she let me go and started flying away. I followed her; she was flying towards something bright, through some fog, then she stopped and told me that I couldn’t go with her, that I had to go back. As I’m stubborn I still followed her, but she stopped again and this time told me very clearly, “NO!” She told me, “You have to go back,” and then all of a sudden I felt myself falling. That’s when I hit the bed so hard that I thought I must have woken my husband up! As I came to I realized I was sitting up in bed, very stunned. I did tell my doctor about it and was put on anti-depressants, which unfortunately made me a lot sicker.
‘Jan was one of Tim’s bosses at work before she died of cancer. We were good friends through work. I had such respect for her. She was a wonderful person and a good boss. She always made me feel special. When we talked about the kids she was very supportive and encouraging, and loved to share stories. We were always on the same wavelength. We loved to laugh and talk, and I missed that when she left us.
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