Signs and Symbols

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 Photo (c) 2016 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas

Long before her death, my mother told me that the yellow butterfly was her sign or symbol.  She said, "When you see a yellow butterfly, it will be me."  After her death, a yellow butterfly has visited me often.  The serendipity of these sightings is often so poignant as to bring me to tears. 

Skeptics, on the other hand, tell us that we see signs and symbols because we want to see them. They say that our need to have some kind of proof causes us to find an answer where there really isn't one. This may be, however, there are times when things happen, when signs appear where the variables are simply too high to brush off as matter of fact.

In my life, I have found signs and symbols that could not be reasoned away on multiple occasions. Allow me to give you an example of the most recent event. 

My daughter and family were on a river in Maine with her husband's sister and her family. The boys were playing by the river. One of them had a flashlight that had writing on it. When my daughter looked at the flashlight, she saw the name, "Barry N" hand-printed on it. She took this as a sign that her recently deceased uncle was with her.
 
Too many variables to be matter of fact. 1. Barry fished on the rivers in Maine. 2. Barry printed his name in all capital letters. 3. A member of the family found the flashlight. 4. Flashlights are symbols of shining light into dark places. 5. Barry had dedicated his life during his later years to bring Light to others. 

I can't brush this off.  For me, this is a profound message sent from behind the veil. The fact that his name was printed on the side of the flashlight and that it was found on a river in Maine (one of his favorite places to go to commune with Creator - his "church") are just too synchronistic to simply blow off. 

As Anthony Douglas Williams wrote, "Be the Light for others when their world becomes dark." I believe Barry is being that Light for those of us still on this earthly plane. His last wishes for his family and friends was to pay forward what we have been given...to do something wonderful for others without want of praise or reward. 

I truly believe that signs and symbols are all around us. I do not think they are coincidental. I believe that signs and symbols can comfort us in our grief, enlighten us in our confusion and caution us in times of fear. 

Have you had an experience with signs and symbols? Please share your experience with us in the comments below.
 
Blessings!

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