The Ones We Love and Miss

I have always felt my grandfather's presence around me since he died. He always seemed to be close when there were big events going on which is why I thought it was strange that he didn't make his presence known when Rowan was born. I know, you are all thinking: "WHATEVER!". My rational self is saying the same thing too. But, here is a true, real-life story that happened today. Imagine me and Nicole sitting in the living room, working on our computers. We were chatting here and there and I don't know why, but I blurted out:" You know, I think Rowan sees my grandfather". She got a creeped out look on her face because she had a story to tell me too (which I heard and well, you can ask her about it because it is her story not mine).

The feeling that Rowan can see Grampa has been with me since he started smiling. As you know, Rowan is a very happy baby who loves to smile and giggle. However, there are only 2 things that make him smile-- people and Puff. He doesn't just randomly smile at things. In fact, he doesn't even smile at the TV which fascinates him. But, occasionally when we are in the living room, out of nowhere, he looks over my shoulder, at the white wall and gives a HUGE smile to something that is nothing. Or something that I think is my Grampa. When this happens I ask Rowan if he sees Grampa and if he does, to please say "hello" and "I love you" for me. It is the strangest feeling. It scares me because I am not prepared to see the dead even if the dead is someone I love and miss dearly and yet, it also makes me happy because I know how much Grampa would have loved to have met Rowan.

Anyway, I explained this story to Nicole. She didn't laugh. I went on to tell her about how I thought Grampa once whistled in the car immediately after I had just told J about teaching Grampa to whistle on that very stretch of highway between Ottawa and North Bay. We were both stunned. And here is where it gets especially creepy... Not 15 minutes after we stopped talking about ghosts did Nicole hear a man's voice say through the baby monitor "What, what is it?". I didn't hear it but didn't question what she said she heard. Seconds later, through the baby monitor again we both heard: a clear whistle.